A petition calling for shops to be banned from opening on Boxing Day has gathered over 100,000 signatures.
Change.org user Ian Lapworth, a baker and former DJ from Kettering, started the petition in the hope that with no shops open on the day after Christmas retail workers would be allowed a proper Christmas break, while the public would have more time with their families instead of being drawn in by sales and deals.
The petition still needs another 43,000 people to sign if it's to be discussed in parliament, but it's well on its way to hitting its target.
'Shops, especially supermarkets, do not need to open on Boxing Day,' wrote Ian in the petition's description.
'Whilst not everyone may see Christmas as a religious holiday, it should be respected as such, and retail workers (who work so hard on the run up to the big day) given some decent family time to relax and enjoy the festivities like everyone else.
Image: James Gourley/Rex/Shutterstock
'Most retail workers are on the go up to Christmas Eve, then back on Boxing Day. Sometimes they have no choice.
'We managed 30 and 40 years ago...when shops were sometimes shut for a whole week. Let's get back to the way it was.
'Forget making money for one day, let's concentrate on making more memories with the ones we love.'
Thousands of retail workers have shown their support for the petition, leaving comments describing how different the Christmas season is for them compared to everyone else.
'I used to work in a shop the was open until 10pm on Xmas eve, closed on Xmas day and open again at 10 am Boxing day,' wrote Elaine Wormald.
'It is so unfair on the staff lots of whom would prefer to stay at home with their young families.
'If all the stores agreed not to open on Boxing day then none of them are losing any trade to another store. Common sense really, but when did that ever matter to money grabbing store owners.'
Image: Goodman/LNP/Rex/Shutterstock
Shoppers queue outside Next at 6am for the Boxing Day sales
'Our lives run at a million miles an hour all the time,' wrote Zara Holt.
'We are a society built on accumulating things, for just two days it would be nice to shut this world out and focus on what it really is all about, time with family, friends, take a walk in the park, on the beach, play a board game with your kids.
'Enjoy your time because when it's gone who cares if you didn't hit the sales on Boxing Day at 5am!!'
Do you agree that shops should close on Boxing Day? Let us know in the comments below
