BOSTON – Need to run to the store for a last-minute Thanksgiving dinner ingredient ? Or hoping to get an early start on Black Friday shopping? Here’s what’s open and closed on Thanksgiving in Massachusetts, and some background about the “blue laws” that regulate the holiday.
What are “blue laws” in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is one of just three states that prohibit most stores from opening on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas thanks to “blue laws.” According to the Massachusetts Historical Society, blue laws were established by colonial governments of the 1600s to make sure people went to church on Sundays and observed the Sabbath.
They’re called blue laws because blue was a color associated with high morality.
What stores are closed on Thanksgiving in Massachusetts?
As noted above, most retail stores are prevented from opening on Thanksgiving, but more and more chains are deciding to give their employees a day off. Framingham-based TJX will close all TJ Maxx , Marshalls and HomeGoods stores on Thanksgiving.