Family Life

11.14.12 | Sarah Harnisch

A number of retailers are getting a jump on Black Friday this year by opening up on Thanksgiving Day. Target, Walmart, Toys R Us are among the big box retailers opening early, some as early as 8 a.m. One Target worker started an online petition that went viral this week, gathering 200-thousand signatures in a few days, and triggering similar petitions among employees at Walmart and Toys R Us. Casey Saint Clare's story was featured on the Today Show. She said on her petition "will you join me in asking Target to give Thanksgiving back to their employees? I have no problem with Black Friday, I just want it to stay on Friday."

Walmart says in their case, customers asked for the earlier shopping time. A Walmart spokesman said "our customers said we want to come in early and go to bed early. It's eating the Thanksgiving dinner, doing the dishes, then getting some exercize at Walmart." But Saint Claire says the number of signatures on the petition shows people don't want it. "I think that shows it's an issue that resonates with people across the country. It's not just one employee's problem with Target." Target offered her Thanksgiving day off, but she declined, saying it isn't fair to her coworkers.