Do you eat out or shop on Sundays?

[vee]

I used to but now I try to avoid either as much as possible.  Besides the obvious of it being the Lord's day I dont like supporting businesses that really dont have to be open that day which takes away from the employees not being able to rest.  Some may argue that if people didnt want to work on Sundays they would change jobs or change schedules and so forth, however, that may be easier said than done.    If Sunday is a very busy day at a restaurant because many people are going there after church then high business demands and few employees means they may have to work anyway.

Just something to think about

Hope that makes sense.

[beatitude]

I try not to shop on Sunday unless it's urgent (for example, if I needed sanitary towels on a Sunday, I would buy them. If I happened to really want a particular book, I'd wait until Monday). This is because I want to set Sunday apart from the rest of my week, which means that I don't shop or do non-essential housework or any of my other 'normal' stuff.

But when I worked in a psychiatric hospital, I would sometimes escort patients to a restaurant on Sundays. It was the best day we had for community activities, as no therapy or other appointments happened at the weekend, and there were too many patients for them all to go out on Saturday. They needed to maintain or rebuild a link with the wider community, and the best way to do that was through normal stuff - cinema, shopping, eating out, other activities. I did not think I was breaking the commandment about Sabbath rest because I was caring for people who were unwell and who could not be left alone, and this was part of their treatment - but our presence in a cinema obviously required other people to be working too. So it's not always clear-cut.

[vee]

My parish does have a breakfast put on by the Knights of Columbus once a month but other than that there is nothing of the sort.  Maybe if there was it would foster a better sense of community among parishioners, and the money would go to church groups.  Or maybe its been tried already and failed due to logistics, time, money and volunteers. 

[Credo in Deum]

I usually do grab a bite to eat while heading home after Mass, but I think I will give this up for advent and practice preparing some food in the morning and taking it with me so I can have it on the drive home. 

[Maximilianus]

I typically don't, and try to only do so in emergencies, but my adherence to this practice is not perfect.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Maximilianus
To add stuff

[Gabriela]

I usually go get ice cream with friends on Sunday evening. Sometimes I do grocery shopping on Sunday mornings. I do wish more stores were closed on Sundays. I think it would strengthen families.

[blazeingstar]

I try not to, but it depends.  I sometimes have to work on Sundays and I'd rather not have (client base) ignore me because it's Sunday.  Sometimes people have obligations that make things impossible to really do.

If my hubby and I eat out we usually try to spend locally.  Sometimes Sunday is a travel day. I figure if we need to, its the least we can do.

[bardegaulois]

I can generally count on getting coffee and sometimes gas if I need it on Sunday, as I have a distance to travel. My tobacconist is also a very short distance from the church where I attend Mass, so it makes to sense to pop in and refill my pouch if I need to (I smoke a pipe). As far as eating out, I generally have lunch at my TLM community's potluck, but that doesn't seem to be what you're asking about.

As far as groceries, clothing, or other purchases go, I generally do this on Saturday. I might be compelled to prepare bills for the mail on Monday morning if I hadn't that luxury on Saturday, though; I'm not sure if that counts as shopping.

[dominicansoul]

I stopped going out on Sundays awhile back.  It's the Lords day and I don't want to force anyone to have to work because of me.  Sadly I don't make a difference, the malls are open like any other day of the week and the parking lots are filled.  people have to get up and go to work and probably don't even make it to a Mass.  Yeah, I want no participation in that!   

As far as eating out after mass, my parish does a rotating thingy with all the parish organizations.  They cook breakfast for the entire parish.  It gives a family feel to our parish when we all eat breakfast together after Mass.  And boy do some of these organizations know how to cook!!   My parish is very small, so I wonder if this is possible in a large parish, but I find it to be such a blessing! You catch up on what one another is up to and sometimes you see parishioners' children who have long left the nest and are back visiting.  You share sad times and prayer petitions.  

I also like that my parish leaves the doors ulocked after Mass. You can always go back after breakfast  and spend some quality time with Jesus.  It's so peaceful and beautiful in the church.  I don't think I get that peace at all the rest of the week, so I love spending more time with Him in the quiet stillness of the church.  

I think we've lost family traditions in today's society.  I wonder how many family's slow down and visit each other and spend family time together around the table on Sunday's?  

And other than Mass and prayer times, how many use Sunday as a day to do some spiritual reading and keep the day holy? 

How many actually relax and actually do things you enjoy and rest?  Go to the park or take a walk or listen to some soothing music and take naps???  I spend nap times with my kittens on my lazy boy chair.  I Skype with a friend, visit with family.  Sunday is my favorite day of the week! 

[Gabriela]

I'm afraid that if all the stores closed, families would just sit at home watching tv and playing with their electronics in separate rooms.

[CatherineM]

We just ordered pizza, but the owner and all the workers are Muslim. So I'm not working on the sabbath by cooking, and I'm not making anyone else work on their sabbath to cook for us. 

[Gabriela]

27 minutes ago, CatherineM said:

We just ordered pizza, but the owner and all the workers are Muslim. So I'm not working on the sabbath by cooking, and I'm not making anyone else work on their sabbath to cook for us. 

Good solution.  

[elizabeth09]

I hate it when I have to wear my work clothes to Church, because we are open on Sunday.  In other words, I attempted not to do any shopping or get gas because it is a day of rest.

[NadaTeTurbe]

Nop. Mostly because I'm lucky to live in a city where it's forbidden for shop to open on sunday, except for bakery. Before we elected a socialist, the whole country was closed on sunday, but now, big cities have the right to open on sunday because of poor tourist.  My mom cook a good meal who can last 3 hours, then we go on a walk, we sometimes visit my brothers or other friends. Sometimes we take the car to go on the mountains. My parents are atheist, but very traditional-minded when it comes to family time. 

[MarysLittleFlower]

I don't go shopping on Sunday as my priest explained to me that its a sin. Restaurants seem to be allowed by catechisms/manuals, I heard though that this is not ideal and is only allowed because of changes in society.. However stores are not allowed because restaurants are a recreation, and stores are not. Chores etc are also not allowed. So I don't shop on Sunday and I stopped going to restaurants too because even if its allowed today, in a more Christian society they would be closed. I went a few times if someone wanted to.go but I think now I'd rather just invite them to my place.