Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, will you shop during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and how do you feel about stores opening for shoppers on Thanksgiving Day?

Only 2.7% of responding readers indicated they will shop on Thanksgiving Day, while 22% will shop on Black Friday and 27.5% will shop the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. One third (33%) will shop online deals on Cyber Monday. More than half of respondents (52.3%) will not shop at all during the holiday weekend.

Asked how they feel about stores opening for shoppers on Thanksgiving or about shopping during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in general, the vast majority had strong negative feelings about retail stores being open on Thanksgiving Day—mostly because of sympathy for the retail employees. However, a few did not feel the same sympathy for restaurant workers working on Thanksgiving Day, and a couple admitted they needed grocery stores to be open for last-minute ingredients. One reader pointed out that some retail employees would be grateful for the extra hours and chance to earn more money. I agree with the readers who pointed out that football is a Thanksgiving tradition, not shopping. Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said: “Shopping during open enrollment – preposterous! The best bargain is the maximum employer match, don’cha know, eh.”

Verbatim 

The price discounts that you receive during these times just don't justify the pain in the butt of dealing with all the other crazy people out there.

It would be nice if stores were closed so that everyone can enjoy the holiday. I get that emergency personnel have to work, but shopping isn't an emergency (or at least it shouldn't be).

No store should open on Thanksgiving Day. Football is more important than shopping!

Everyone needs to be home with their families on Thanksgiving - Friday should be enough - if not - grab your computer and shop away!!

It's not fair to the workers. One of our few American holidays and it deserves to be enjoyed so I will not shop that day and hope companies move back to giving people back time for the holidays.

I feel stores should be closed on Thanksgiving so people can be home with their families.

I look forward to the day when rabid materialism will decline so that more human aspects of these holidays become apparent.

I stay away from stores all weekend -- even grocery stores. It's just too insane.

If the country wasn't so full of excessive consumers, this would not even be an issue. It really is ok not to be able to get everything the moment you want it.

Verbatim (cont.) 

Those shoppers are crazy, and I want no part of it. I'll wait until the last possible second like every other year.

While I want to spend the entire Thanksgiving day with my family, I can see that some families may want to get a head start on shopping and go out as a family to shop Thanksgiving evening (or honestly, they may have just spent enough time together that they are ready for a little time apart). However, I think that there are so few holidays where families can truly spend quality time together that I would rather the stores NOT be open on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a beautiful holiday that gets lost in the shuffle. I will spend as much time with my family as possible. I'm sorry for the retailers’ employees who don't get to celebrate.

Well, I'm saying none, but chances are I'll have to run out and get milk or butter or something Thanksgiving morning for the meal. Thankful stores will be open, but wish they didn't have to be!

I despise that such a simple and lovely holiday is becoming so crowded with crass commercialism.

I prefer that the stores close on Thanksgiving. As a department store veteran, Thanksgiving is the one day that retail employees get to rest before the big holiday push.

Nobody shops that weekend anymore -- the stores are too crowded!!

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect upon and give thanks to everything we have been blessed to receive over this past year. It is a time to be with friends and family and to let them know how fortunate they are to you. I do not care to fight the mobs of people so that I may get one of a few big screen televisions for $200, if I camp out overnight in a parking lot. Take this time to relax and reflect upon what is important in your life and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

I absolutely detest that our holiday has been reduced to this nonsense. Instead of a time for family and reflection, we are rushing off to buy stuff we, nor anyone else, needs to fill the pockets of people already too wealthy for their own good. Enough already!

Verbatim (cont.) 

I disagree with it. Offer online deals on Thanksgiving day for people that just can't wait to start their shopping. There are very few holidays anymore where stores are closed and employees get to spend time with family - pretty much just Thanksgiving and Christmas anymore - and it's getting ridiculous. I do applaud those stores that refuse to open on Thanksgiving and let their employees have family time.

Although I checked that I would shop on any day but Thanksgiving, there is nothing I need or want enough to go through any of the effort required to shop these days. My shopping will depend upon whether or not I feel like shopping or the store has a gift I want to give.

If people want to get out of the house, it would be better if they went to a movie. Otherwise, they can have Cyber Turkey Day and shop online. Making people come to work on Thanksgiving is un-American!

I think stores should be closed on Thanksgiving. It is a time that should be spent with family and friends. The theme of being thankful gets lost in the shopping frenzy!

I don't like stores being open on Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy time with family or friends or just relax and get ready for the next month. I do decorate for Christmas right the weekend after Thanksgiving.

All stores should be closed Thanksgiving Day so employees can spend time with their families. I suspect that opening an extra day only changes the timing of sales rather than increasing them.

Thanksgiving shopping = boo! Other days/times = fine

I love my family, but would not wait in lines or battle the masses. Also, shame on companies for required, or pressuring, Thanksgiving Day shifts.

The teenagers in my family love it, and it gets them out of the house... so there's that.

Verbatim (cont.) 

If opening on Thanksgiving Day reduces the need to wear hockey pads when shopping on Black Friday, I'm all for it.

I will likely shop online but have no intentions of shopping in the stores. Too many people, long lines take the fun out of it - would rather spend time with family

Stores should not open on Thanksgiving Day.

For my money there's no more festive way to kick off a holly-jolly season of consumerism than with some no-holds-barred discount driven violence!

Stores should be closed on Thanksgiving Day and not reopen until Friday morning.

I wish stores would leave the few true holidays retail employees get alone to spend time with family and friends. I will be working on Friday and hoping not to hit traffic around the malls I pass on my commute.

I am taking note of stores who are NOT opening on Thanksgiving day and they will likely receive more business from me in the future.

There is no deal that is more important to me than spending time with my family and giving Thanks for the blessings in my life. I feel that all should have that opportunity to relax and enjoy the holiday without worrying about having to leave to go to work. Nothing is sacred anymore in this country. It's all about the almighty dollar.

I don't shop on Thanksgiving. I don't shop on Black Friday at those crazy early hours because I don't want to encourage retailers to open at those hours. I shop at local smaller merchants on Friday and go to the malls/outlet centers Saturday night when most of the early risers on Friday are home exhausted.

Verbatim (cont.) 

It's a sad commentary on the gluttony in this country when people are so eager to shop and acquire more stuff on the day that is set aside to be thankful for what we have already been blessed with.

I am not vehemently against stores being open on Thanksgiving...but I won't support them. With so many "Black Friday" sales starting early, and now applied to everything, even windows and cars, the timing does not matter as much.

I'm sad that stores are open on Thanksgiving. Can people not spend one entire day with family and let the world slow down just a bit, instead of running out to buy more "things"? So much for having a day to "give thanks" for what we have.

Stores should be closed so families can share the holiday together. I don't like stores being open. We shop too much as it is. We are a society gone crazy over things! People are more important than any thing!

It's too crazy out there to shop - people go absolutely nuts. I think if you work in retail you have to be open to working holidays - it's just part of it.

don't favor stores being open on Thanksgiving. Let employees enjoy the day with their families!

I feel bad for the employees who have to work. We have a full-time receptionist who works part-time at a retail store, and she has to work 8pm Thanksgiving night to 6am Friday morning. Because our office is open on Friday she will have to take a vacation day on Friday. They are the ones who seem to be overlooked.

The stores should not be open on Thanksgiving. Retail workers already have tough schedule - give them a break!

While I'm embarrassed to admit I've occasionally had to take advantage of a grocery store that's open during the day on Thanksgiving, I refuse to do any other kind of shopping that day. Everyone should be free to enjoy the day with family & friends (or relaxing by themselves!) -- including retail employees.

Verbatim (cont.) 

Would rather see folks spend time with their families and friends cause that's where the real riches in life are found, but won't get involved in pontificating about what stores or individuals actually do.

Thanksgiving is all about family, friends and sharing. I am sure glad I experienced spending time with my relatives and getting to know them around the Thanksgiving table in past years when stores were closed. Those that shop on Thanksgiving Day are missing the true treasure, family time.

Retailers provide great incentives for black Friday that it's hard to refuse. Since I hate the over-eager bargain hunter crowds, I shop on cyber Monday. Thanksgiving should be preserved as a holiday - not as a shopping day. Why not open shops on Christmas Day to get a head start on holiday gift returns?

I feel sorry for people who have to work on the holiday. Thanksgiving should be reserved for contemplation and relaxation.

Anyone who waits on line for these "events" is crazy!

The day of Thanksgiving should be a day spent reflecting on what is important with people you care about - not in some store whose sole purpose is to get you to spend money one can ill afford to spend on useless items that will eventually end up in the trash bin or someone's closet - forgotten over time.

No way will I brave the stores for actual Christmas shopping. In fact we typically hide out in the house until at least late Saturday. We'll venture out at some point over the weekend to get the Christmas tree and a bottle of wine to enjoy while decorating. My husband and I typically take Monday off to stay in our pj's and do online Christmas shopping.

I plan to support Small Business Saturday. I think stores need to be closed on Thanksgiving.

Verbatim (cont.) 

Shopping is not a priority for me. Maybe more family time is a first step in making the holidays more memorable.

Thanksgiving Day is for family, not for shopping.

I feel sorry for the workers who lose the opportunity to spend quality time with family at Thanksgiving.

No stores should open on Thanksgiving Day.

Why not?

Being open on Thanksgiving is horrid! A pure greed play! The stores are greedy and the shoppers are greedier, leading, in some cases, to masses overwhelming the stores and injuries to both shoppers and store employees. Thanksgiving is a day to spend with family and friends (and watch football, if one is so inclined). Making store employees work for the sake of the greedy is terrible, but, unfortunately, as long as there is one store out there that does it, its competitors will have no choice to follow suit. I wish it would end. The only people who should work on Thanksgiving are those who must do so to keep us safe (police, fire, hospital workers, etc.) and those that are helping us celebrate (restaurant and other hospitality industry employees). But to make someone work so someone else can get a TV for $300 less than usual is just WRONG!

Shopping in crowded stores to get 1 or 2 TVs priced at $29.99 isn't my thing. Instead I will be enjoying my 4 day weekend with my family.

Call me old fashion, but I think this is a time to be with family and unfortunately those that have to work can't be with their families. But alas the almighty dollar in the end will win.

It's wrong.

Verbatim (cont.) 

Thanksgiving Day is all about planning the strategy of hitting the best stores first on Friday ("buzzer" goes off at 8:00 am, the game is over for the day). Then spend time watching the crazy people & backed-up traffic over coffee. After that, I shop only late evenings.

It will be to buy food on Thanksgiving; because I always forget something!

I think stores should be closed on Thanksgiving and not open until at least 6:00 am on the day following.

Thanksgiving is for getting together with family, being thankful for our country, despite its current dysfunction, watching a little football, but not shopping.

We don't leave home during the Thanksgiving weekend. No "deal" is worth the crowds and rudeness and stress. Amazon Prime is where we find our deals! I understand stores opening for shopping but mourn the loss of the ideal that certain days are reserved for family time...

I don't think they need to be open on Thanksgiving. Give the time to the workers' families. I loved working the day after when I was in retail. The time flew by! I won't be shopping that weekend as it's the World's Largest Disco on Saturday. My sister and I start boogying down on Friday and Sunday is recovery day!

While I don't plan to shop on Thanksgiving myself, I have worked in retail before. At that time in my life, most of my coworkers and I would have jumped at the chance for additional hours. This is especially true during the holidays.

My in-laws used to live out of state in a college town. About 15 years ago we wanted to get out of the house on Thanksgiving Day and did find one discount retailer open. There were a few bargain hunters in the store and a number of foreign students from the college shopping that day. The college students seemed to be enjoying shopping mostly in peace and quiet while we crazy Americans were stuffing our faces and watching football. Seems like those days are long gone. Sad. I wish the retailers would let their working families enjoy the holiday.

As I have never shopped on Black Friday, and never will, I do not agree with stores being open on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is meant for giving thanks for all we have, especially family. Keep the consumerism and commercialism out of this day.

Verbatim (cont.) 

Thanksgiving Day should be reserved for giving thanks, being with family and friends and football.

Although I understand we live in a different world these days there should still be some traditions from the past that are upheld; one of them being stores are closed Thanksgiving. It should be a time of reflection and relaxation and to just be away from the normal hustle and bustle.

The weekend is becoming more about shopping than giving Thanks. The last thing I want to do that weekend is fight the crowds.

I would like to go back to the good old days when Christmas shopping and Christmas decorations were not done until after Thanksgiving.

I'm thankful my employer does not require its employees to work Thanksgiving. I applaud businesses that give the day off.

I think all stores should be closed so the employees get a day off, but on the other hand, if people want to shop that day instead of eating turkey, well, that is the American way!

Please, I beg of you, STOP THE MADNESS!

I hate shopping. I've never understood the fascination of owning tons of stuff. How many (fill in the blank) do you really need anyway??

It is up to the stores to open or not open on Thanksgiving. I have no desire to shop that weekend.

Shopping during open enrollment - preposterous! The best bargain is the maximum employer match, don'cha know, eh.

I am opposed to stores opening on Thanksgiving - restaurants yes, retail stores no!

IT WOULD BE NICE TO JUST CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY AND NOT HAVE ANYONE WORK THAT DAY SO THEY COULD BE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE HAVE BECOME TOO COMMERCIAL

I plan to shop on the day before Thanksgiving.

I don't think stores should open on Thanksgiving Day. That is counter to the concept and spirit of the day. I checked all three options after T-Day but that only depends on what deals are out there. If nothing compels me to shop I won't and cyber Monday will be the least utilized of the three. I'm a guy and true to stereotype I'll be looking for great deals on electronics and tools. If I don't see any I'll comfort myself with lots of football and turkey.