Last year, it was the small business retailers who balked at opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day.

This year, it’s the largest mall in the U.S.

On Wednesday morning, Mall of America officials announced that they will not participate in the Black Friday creep which has overtaken Thanksgiving in recent years. According to The Minneapolis Star Tribune:

“‘We’ve been talking about this for months, looking at the numbers, looking at the pros and the cons,’ said Jill Renslow, the mall’s senior vice president of marketing and business development. ‘We’re excited to give this day back to our employees so they can celebrate with their families.’

…

By making this move, Renslow added that the mall also hoped to ‘bring that special magic back to Black Friday.’ The mall will officially open at 5 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving, instead of staying open all night as it has in recent years. Executives plan a special ‘door opening ceremony’ and other festivities and giveaways.”

As the Star Tribune goes on to report, such a move is a more drastic step than the mall’s original policy, which once kept its theatres and amusement park open on Thanksgiving.

Is such a decision a sign that the continual push to be on the go is wearing on Americans? Do we need to place a greater priority on taking days of rest, both for the sake of rebuilding our families and rebuilding our own mental stamina?

“He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1737

Image Credit: Joe Chill 2 bit.ly/1p2b8Ke