days for working holidays. I make the schedule for my department, which consists of four people. We usually have two of us working Thanksgiving, the other two working Christmas. We're all pretty cool with it and the hours are flexible enough where the people who do have to work those days won't have to miss out on family gatherings or anything like that. I generally think people should be encouraged into laziness on the holidays. It's a time to eat, drink and be merry. I don't understand this common mentality in America that everything comes before work. I don't worship at the altar of work. I love my job, I do my job, but I want holidays off and think others should have them off too - assuming that's what they want. I'm pretty used to it; I work in the entertainment industry, so we're likely to work on other peoples' days off. I pretty well knew this when I decided to move into the industry. It's hard to coordinate with family, but it sure does make it easy to get together with work friends. I think everything non-essential, especially retail, should be closed on all national holidays. The tiny grocery store I do a lot of shopping at is always closed on holidays, and I say good for them. I do this crazy thing called planning ahead. totally agree. the biggest grocery chain in this area closes for thanksgiving too, and as you say, good for them. the holidays