Why can’t the shops close for Christmas?

In England the shops do close at Christmas, but in our country they remained open again – also this year. Retail expert Cor Molenaar wonders in his expert blog how this is possible. Even if it’s just for one day. ‘Give the entrepreneurs, shop staff and all those others who have to work over Christmas their moment with family and friends.’

In the early 1970s, Christmas time was still traditional in England. I remember the Carol services the last few weeks before Christmas. Boys’ choirs sang Christmas carols in crowded churches. Activity plays in schools and special Christmas shows in theatres. They also told on the radio every day how many shopping days there were left until Christmas Day. Slowly we lived towards Christmas. The Christmas cake was put in the drink weeks in advance to “ripen” quietly, gifts were bought. Panic in the shopping streets and supermarkets until Christmas Day, when commerce came to a standstill.

Christmas Day was a day for family, for friends, a day of rest and reflection. Visiting each other and handing out gifts, eating mince pies , trying the Christmas cake and waiting for the highlight of Christmas, the Christmas menu. Traditionally the turkey with stuffings , the roast potatoes , the Brussels sprouts , framed with thick gravy and finally the Christmas pudding. This was a day of peace, of friendship, of sharing food, you crawled home or to bed, stomachs were full, presents were handed out. On Christmas Day the streets were quiet, shops and pubs were closed, people were at home. Life stood still for a moment, everyone went into their own cocoon for a while. But time has changed.

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Crowds in the shopping streets in the days before Christmas

Christmas Day is still a day of food and family, gifts and mince pies , but also turmoil. Less strong family ties, the young people go their own way and seek each other out. The shops are still closed, but have to prepare for boxing day . The day of the sale and the exchange of the gifts. Crowded shopping streets with bargain hunters, the spirit of Christmas is quickly forgotten. In the 1970s, boxing day was a day of activities. You went out, to sports matches, the football first, sports yourself or out with friends. The clearance had to wait until January 1, the clearance the day after a drunken New Year’s Eve.

But with the accession of England to the EU, the English also had a day off, New Year’s Day. The clearance moved smoothly to boxing day (Boxing Day in England, ed.), which is not a day off. Above all, Christmas was a commercial celebration, a celebration for the catering industry, supermarkets and shops. But on Christmas day everything is still still. We have other things to do, our state of mind is focused on family and happiness. The spirit of Christmas is still very much alive. Scrooge also lives in these difficult times.

Christmas is increasingly focused on yourself and your family

I am also shocked to see the change in the Netherlands. The Christmas spirit is still there, but more focused on good food and your family. Thinking about each other and thinking about yourself. But why do those shops have to open on Christmas Day? For weeks we have had the chance to buy, in stores, at supermarkets and online. The churches filled up on Christmas Eve. A moment of reflection and contemplation, perhaps praying away a feeling of guilt. But shouldn’t we also be able to hold on to this spirit until Christmas Day? No shops for a while, just lock the economy to think about the state of the world about our own lives and our priorities, but also about the lives of the service providers, the shops and the health care system.

Let’s relive the old spirit of England and celebrate Christmas ahead of Christmas Day. Enjoy shopping in busy shopping streets, buy gifts to delight others, look for the atmosphere at the Christmas markets. But Christmas Day is for the realization that things can be done better, more socially and that more empathy is needed. Not convincing each other, but understanding each other. Shouldn’t this be possible 1 day a year? Why do those shops have to be open on Christmas day? Also give entrepreneurs, shop staff and all those others who have to work during Christmas their moment with family and friends. Business can really wait a day.