[net.nlang] "Shopping days"

wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (12/04/85)

'Tis the season of the year when you constantly see and hear the phrase
"<n> shopping days 'til Christmas". I used to think nothing of it, but
now I find this usage quite annoying. Why? Because this area recently
voted down long-standing "Blue Laws" that prevented merchants from
having stores open on Sunday, and now there is no such thing as a
"shopping day" as distinct from just plain "day". Before, "shopping
days" meant "every day except Sunday". Now, there is no need to use the
phrase at all.

I'd like to know if other areas, that haven't had "Blue Laws"
restricting Sunday sales for many years, still encounter local usage of
the "shopping days" phrase, or if it has died out (as it should).

I wonder how much of the USA still has Sunday-sales restrictions (not
counting liquor sales laws, which are too arcane to consider or even to
contemplate)? What about the rest of the world? Are there Sunday-closing
laws in European countries? Are Sabbath-closing laws in effect in
Israel, or only in some areas of that country? What about in Asian,
Islamic, and other regions/cultures/countries?

Regards,
Will Martin

UUCP/USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin   or   ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA

ark@alice.UucP (Andrew Koenig) (12/05/85)

> I wonder how much of the USA still has Sunday-sales restrictions (not
> counting liquor sales laws, which are too arcane to consider or even to
> contemplate)? What about the rest of the world? Are there Sunday-closing
> laws in European countries? Are Sabbath-closing laws in effect in
> Israel, or only in some areas of that country? What about in Asian,
> Islamic, and other regions/cultures/countries?

Here in New Jersey, it seems to be local option by town.  There is
a current flap about Passaic, which has an ordinance forbidding
any "worldly activities" on Sunday.  They have taken this as
license for the cops to go looking for offices with lights on,
and going in and arresting their occupants.  Said occupants are often
programmers, and sometimes lawyers.  The cops always seem to let the
lawyers go...

The stated reason for the prohibition is so that the residents can
get one respite a week from the incredible traffic generated by
Passaic's huge shopping malls.  Since the ordinance uses the word
"worldly,"  I expect the real motivation of the people who wrote it
is somewhat different.  I think the case is in court now...

suze@terak.UUCP (Suzanne Barnett) (12/05/85)

> 'Tis the season of the year when you constantly see and hear the phrase
> "<n> shopping days 'til Christmas". I used to think nothing of it, but
> now I find this usage quite annoying. Why? Because this area recently
> voted down long-standing "Blue Laws" that prevented merchants from
> having stores open on Sunday, and now there is no such thing as a
> "shopping day" as distinct from just plain "day". Before, "shopping
> days" meant "every day except Sunday". Now, there is no need to use the
> phrase at all.
> 
> I'd like to know if other areas, that haven't had "Blue Laws"
> restricting Sunday sales for many years, still encounter local usage of
> the "shopping days" phrase, or if it has died out (as it should).

In Colorado, Nebraska and Arizona the stores are open on Sundays, yet
the term "shopping days until Christmas" is used in all three
places. It seems to be largely promoted by various stores
advertising, a reminder to come in and transfer some of your
money to the store.

I enjoy the Christmas season, holiday decorations, shopping
for presents for those I care about, etc. But it seems more
and more that commercialism is infringing on the season. This
year they had Santa at the mall two weeks before Thanksgiving!!
> 
> I wonder how much of the USA still has Sunday-sales restrictions (not
> counting liquor sales laws, which are too arcane to consider or even to
> contemplate)? What about the rest of the world? Are there Sunday-closing
> laws in European countries? Are Sabbath-closing laws in effect in
> Israel, or only in some areas of that country? What about in Asian,
> Islamic, and other regions/cultures/countries?

Texas still has blue laws about being closed on Sundays,
except for drug, grocery and convenience stores. Even these
have restrictions on what they can sell on Sundays. (you
can't go down to the drug store and buy a household
appliance, such as an iron, on Sunday.) The law is written
such that a store must be closed one day a week. Most, but
not all stores choose Sunday.

German stores are closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays.
It is illegal there to do any obvious work such as mowing the
lawn or washing the car or windows on Sunday.
-- 
**************************************************************
Suzanne Barnett-Scott

uucp:	 ...{decvax,ihnp4,noao,savax,seismo}!terak!suze
phone:	 (602) 998-4800
us mail: CalComp/Sanders Display Products Division
	 (Formerly Terak Corporation)
	 14151 N 76th street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260

bill@utastro.UUCP (William H. Jefferys) (12/06/85)

> Texas still has blue laws about being closed on Sundays,
> except for drug, grocery and convenience stores. Even these
> have restrictions on what they can sell on Sundays. (you
> can't go down to the drug store and buy a household
> appliance, such as an iron, on Sunday.) The law is written
> such that a store must be closed one day a week. Most, but
> not all stores choose Sunday.

Not any more.  This law was repealed during the last Legislature.
The new regime went into effect over a month ago.  Thank goodness!

rpt@warwick.UUCP (Richard Tomlinson) (12/06/85)

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In article <291@brl-tgr.ARPA> wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) writes:
>I wonder how much of the USA still has Sunday-sales restrictions (not
>counting liquor sales laws, which are too arcane to consider or even to
>contemplate)? What about the rest of the world? Are there Sunday-closing
>laws in European countries? Are Sabbath-closing laws in effect in
>Israel, or only in some areas of that country? What about in Asian,
>Islamic, and other regions/cultures/countries?

There are still laws restricting Sunday shopping in England, although
Sunday shopping has been allowed in Scotland for some time. It is legal
to sell anything that can't wait until the next day, such as newspapers.
It is highly likely that the Shops Act is going to be repealed soon,
possibly in the next session of Parliament, but many shops are opening
on Sundays in defiance of the law as they only get fined a couple of
hundred pounds which is far less than the profit they make. The law is
totally stupid as on Sunday, supposedly a religous day, it is legal to
sell Playboy but not the Bible!

I think this subject should not be discussed in net.nlang so I have directed
followups to net.followup.
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