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Blue laws, derived from Christian perspectives, aimed to enforce moral codes and stipulate Sunday as a day of rest. Puritan colonies had blue laws in place, but they have been seen as a blow to those who worship on different days. Some blue laws remain, such as retail stores being closed on Sundays in Bergen County, NJ. Some people miss blue laws as they guaranteed workers a day off, but this trend is changing with many businesses now operating on holidays.
A blue law is symptomatic of a lack of separation of church and state, in some countries, such as the United States and Canada, where the government can boast of this separation. In most cases they derive from Christian perspectives, mainly from traditional Protestantism or Catholicism and aim at enforcing the moral code. In particular, most of the Blue Laws were enacted to stipulate that the Sabbath, which usually meant Sunday, was truly a day of rest, and not a day for drinking, shopping, working, or hunting. While some of these laws are still on the books, many of them have been abolished over time.
Puritan colonies in the New World generally had some blue laws in place. Businesses could operate on Sundays only to a very limited extent. Sunday was intended exclusively for worship and God had decreed it as a day of rest, according to Puritan beliefs. Not keeping the Sabbath with due respect was an affront to God.
Unfortunately the intent of the blue law, especially with the increase in population and religious diversity in the United States, has been seen as a direct blow to people who worship on the Sabbath, Shabbat on Saturday, or who don’t worship at all. How would a Jew or Seventh-day Adventist handle weekends when Saturday and not Sunday are considered the traditional day of worship? Closing businesses or being banned from certain businesses on a weekend day available to these people, most often Sunday, could make things difficult.
Sometimes a blue law had exceptions if you were a Jew. A Jew may have to close his shops or businesses on Saturday instead of Sunday. All other businesses were closed on Sunday.
There are a number of remaining blue laws that have not been repealed in various states, cities or counties. In Bergen County, New Jersey, one of New Jersey’s largest shopping districts, retail stores must be closed on Sundays. This can be a challenge for the many Jewish people in the county. In New Haven, Connecticut, the sale of liquor is prohibited on Sundays, an advanced blue law that once banned most business operations on that day.
Many blue laws held at least until the mid-1980s. Some banned the sale of machines designed for “work” such as kitchen utensils or washing machines. Some have even restricted the sale of lamps. Liquor stores or bars may be closed for at least part of the day, or in some cases closed all day on Sundays. In a handful of states, cars weren’t allowed to be bought or sold on Sundays until 1985.
Some people, not of religious background, miss the blue laws simply because they guaranteed workers at least one day off. Some businesses compromise by opening later on Sunday than most other days and closing on major holidays. This trend is also changing, with many large retail outlets and most grocery stores now operating on holidays even though hours are more limited. Even non-religious holidays, such as observing Veteran’s Day or Labor Day, meant nearly all businesses were closed. This has changed significantly, especially in the retail sector, where these holidays are now seen as shopping days, with many sales set to entice consumers to go shopping.
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