Liquor Sales are Banned in Massachusetts on Thanksgiving Due to a Law Tracing Back to the State’s Puritan Times.

Holiday shoppers making a last-minute run for beer, wine, or spirits will hit a hard stop in Massachusetts this Thanksgiving — one of the few states where “blue laws” still ban alcohol sales on the holiday. And one state lawmaker says it’s time to end it.

State Rep. David Linsky has tried—and failed—before, but he’s back with a bill that would finally allow stores to choose whether to open on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“Everyone forgets something sometimes,” Linsky said. “Some merchants in Natick told me, ‘We’re open, we have a license, so why can’t we sell alcohol?’ My bill simply makes it optional.”

The proposal is currently in committee, and Linsky hopes to push it through in time for next year.

The Pushback

Opposition isn’t coming from church pews anymore.

“It’s not the Puritans fighting this,” Linsky said. “It’s package store owners who don’t want to be open, and supermarkets that aren’t open on Thanksgiving anyway.”

Massachusetts still has some of the strictest alcohol rules in the country — no happy hours, and Sunday sales only became legal in 2003.

Shoppers Caught Off Guard

Many Thanksgiving customers only learn about the ban after they show up.

“I had no idea,” said Adrian Michael, 21, from Newton — newly old enough to buy alcohol and assigned to stock his family’s Thanksgiving party. “If people want to stay open, we should support the businesses that do.”

Arpit Patel, owner of Oak n’ Barrel in Newton, says the rush always hits in the days before the holiday.

“A lot of visitors don’t know the law,” Patel said. “We get tons of customers realizing at the last minute they won’t find anything open on Thursday.”

Restaurants like Patel’s, however, can serve alcohol on Thanksgiving — a contradiction that frustrates many business owners.

Why Blue Laws Still Matter

Blue laws began as Puritan-era restrictions meant to enforce religious observance, and many states have since gutted them. But in Massachusetts, Thanksgiving and Christmas bans still stand — a leftover piece of legislation that has outlived its original purpose.

The Supreme Court once upheld blue laws as a form of “uniform day of rest.” Other states, like California and Oregon, have ruled them unconstitutional or irrelevant.

But more than 20 states still enforce some form of Thanksgiving alcohol restriction — ranging from full bans (Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota) to partial limitations (North Carolina, Oklahoma, Idaho).

Where You Can’t Buy Alcohol on Thanksgiving

Some highlights from the current nationwide patchwork:

• Massachusetts: Complete ban on retail alcohol sales.

• Connecticut & Rhode Island: Total ban.

• Pennsylvania: State liquor stores closed.

• Texas: No liquor; beer and wine allowed at grocery stores.

• New Hampshire: State-run stores closed.

• Minnesota & Mississippi: Total bans.

• North Carolina: Beer and wine only — no liquor.

• Alabama: State stores closed, but beer/wine allowed at groceries.

• Kansas: Hard no.

• Maine: Only small stores under 5,000 sq. ft. may sell alcohol.

Meanwhile, states like California, Illinois, Nevada, and most of the West Coast allow Thanksgiving alcohol sales with minimal restrictions.

Industry Reaction

“Blue laws go way, way back,” said Jon Hurst of the Massachusetts Retailers Association. “They’ve been chipped away for decades, but Thanksgiving and Christmas never moved.”

Package store owners in Connecticut voiced similar concerns.

“Small businesses want the day off,” said Jean Cronin of the Connecticut Package Stores Association. “They want to enjoy the holidays too.”

What’s Next

Lawmakers in several states have debated ending holiday alcohol bans, but momentum has been slow. Massachusetts’ latest attempt didn’t reach a vote this year — but pressure is growing as frustrated shoppers and business owners call the law outdated and impractical.

Until then, Massachusetts residents have only one option: stock up early, or go without.