Puzzled

Could somebody please explain to stupid ol' me why the vast majority of shops were closed New Years Day? It wasn't a bank holiday (that's on Monday) and it isn't a religous holiday day but yet not even Sunday opening times. Is it is something to do with the financial year? I would really appreciate an answer.

I think that it is the law that shops above a certain size have to shut on new years day, its the same on Easter Sunday

For anyone who works in retail (like me) the idea of working new years day is daft, especially since a Lot of shops do not close for bank holidays, and many people have to work them.

I do not understand at all why people, who know full well that shops will be closed that day, cannot just buy things another time or in advance. It's not as if the world is going to end if you can't get to the shops for one whole day.

Sorry for the mini rant, but working in a shop puts a strain on someones tolerance for the human race. =P

Pixieking wrote:

For anyone who works in retail (like me) the idea of working new years day is daft, especially since a Lot of shops do not close for bank holidays, and many people have to work them.

le gasp, pixieking!! i used to work retail (videogame shop) and i absolutely LOVED working new years day. triple time + ghost town = free money!! though it was the kind of shop where all the staff working on new year's day didn't have to worry about overdoing it the night before 'cause the we knew the manager would be more hungover than all of us put together... :3 ahh, student jobs...

Pixieking wrote:

For anyone who works in retail (like me) the idea of working new years day is daft, especially since a Lot of shops do not close for bank holidays, and many people have to work them.

I do not understand at all why people, who know full well that shops will be closed that day, cannot just buy things another time or in advance. It's not as if the world is going to end if you can't get to the shops for one whole day.

Sorry for the mini rant, but working in a shop puts a strain on someones tolerance for the human race. =P

I have to say that I assumed that there would be at least Sunday opening hours on New Years Day since this year it was not a bank holiday. New Years Day simply has no significance unlike Christmas Day and Easter Sunday.

Most of the shops round here were open.

Avrielle_Aniko wrote:

It's dumb, innit?

They close on christmas, the world goes mad because the shop will be shut for one day. It's the same for new year too.

But if you think of Chinese restraunts, they have their New Year in April/May(?) and they are always closed for that.

What bugs me is that most large stores are open both on saturdays and sundays, and with christmas landing on saturday, they obviously get their days off, but they decide it's appropriate to be closed on saturday, sunday, monday and tuesday! And some places still didn't open on Wednesday either!

Chinese New Year is regarded as the most imprtant event in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, and celebrations have been known to last up to days after New Years Day itself. It falls towards the end of January/beginning of February, the reason why it changes every year is it is based somewhat on the lunar phases. If they wish to celebrate it for days after New Years Dat itself then why can't some people here keep their stores shut until Wednesday?

To you New Years Day, (I mean on Jan 1) might not mean much but to others it could have completely different significance to them. For example, the Chinese spend a lot of money on presents for family, have huge feasts and even buy new clothes to celebrate.

I'm really confused with times at the moment. Because Xmas fell on a Sat the bank holidays ended up stuck somewhere else through the week or something and I've had no idea what day it is. Confusing.

Johnny Roach wrote:

Avrielle_Aniko wrote:

It's dumb, innit?

They close on christmas, the world goes mad because the shop will be shut for one day. It's the same for new year too.

But if you think of Chinese restraunts, they have their New Year in April/May(?) and they are always closed for that.

What bugs me is that most large stores are open both on saturdays and sundays, and with christmas landing on saturday, they obviously get their days off, but they decide it's appropriate to be closed on saturday, sunday, monday and tuesday! And some places still didn't open on Wednesday either!

Chinese New Year is regarded as the most imprtant event in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, and celebrations have been known to last up to days after New Years Day itself. It falls towards the end of January/beginning of February, the reason why it changes every year is it is based somewhat on the lunar phases. If they wish to celebrate it for days after New Years Dat itself then why can't some people here keep their stores shut until Wednesday?

To you New Years Day, (I mean on Jan 1) might not mean much but to others it could have completely different significance to them. For example, the Chinese spend a lot of money on presents for family, have huge feasts and even buy new clothes to celebrate.

I'm in the mood for trolling but for the sake of auld lang syne, I shall refrain from indulging myself.

Pixieking wrote:

For anyone who works in retail (like me) the idea of working new years day is daft, especially since a Lot of shops do not close for bank holidays, and many people have to work them.

I do not understand at all why people, who know full well that shops will be closed that day, cannot just buy things another time or in advance. It's not as if the world is going to end if you can't get to the shops for one whole day.

Sorry for the mini rant, but working in a shop puts a strain on someones tolerance for the human race. =P

I used to be a really nice people person - & then I worked a year in a petrol station - now I have the same intolerance for the human race!!

niftyb wrote:

Pixieking wrote:

For anyone who works in retail (like me) the idea of working new years day is daft, especially since a Lot of shops do not close for bank holidays, and many people have to work them.

le gasp, pixieking!! i used to work retail (videogame shop) and i absolutely LOVED working new years day. triple time + ghost town = free money!! though it was the kind of shop where all the staff working on new year's day didn't have to worry about overdoing it the night before 'cause the we knew the manager would be more hungover than all of us put together... :3 ahh, student jobs...

Not in my job. =P

The people I work for are tight as anything, and it's a big chain. They haven't raised the (minimum) wage in years even though they are recording record profits, only give time and a fifth if you work night shift and you don't get extra for working overtime or on days specified that you cannot work. If it's a bank holiday you'll get a day of holiday at another time.

Also, for scots, new years day is required to recover from hogmanay. =P

Pixieking wrote:

niftyb wrote:

Pixieking wrote:

For anyone who works in retail (like me) the idea of working new years day is daft, especially since a Lot of shops do not close for bank holidays, and many people have to work them.

le gasp, pixieking!! i used to work retail (videogame shop) and i absolutely LOVED working new years day. triple time + ghost town = free money!! though it was the kind of shop where all the staff working on new year's day didn't have to worry about overdoing it the night before 'cause the we knew the manager would be more hungover than all of us put together... :3 ahh, student jobs...

Not in my job. =P

The people I work for are tight as anything, and it's a big chain. They haven't raised the (minimum) wage in years even though they are recording record profits, only give time and a fifth if you work night shift and you don't get extra for working overtime or on days specified that you cannot work. If it's a bank holiday you'll get a day of holiday at another time.

Also, for scots, new years day is required to recover from hogmanay. =P

Like someone I know at Debenhams.... It's one of the reasons why I prefer John Lewis. It seems crap for a company pretending to be a bit posh can't pay it's staff.

I can remember when all shops were shut over christmas for nearly a week as a kid,how do we manage nowadays