Americans are set for a mix of family meals and early holiday shopping this week, with most big retailers staying shut on Thanksgiving before reopening at dawn for Black Friday, the unofficial start of the Christmas buying rush. The week also marks what AAA says will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record, according to AP report.Retail, banks and deliveries halted for the holidayMost national retailers — including Walmart, Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s and Costco — will remain closed on Thursday, returning with early openings from 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. on Black Friday. CVS will shut early, and Walgreens will close most stores except select 24-hour locations. Grocery chains will open but many will close ahead of schedule, with timings varying by area.Government offices, post offices, courts and schools will be closed. US banks and stock markets will also shut for the day, reopening on Friday for a shortened trading session that ends at 1 p.m. Eastern. Standard FedEx and UPS pickup and delivery services will not operate on Thursday, though limited critical services will be available at certain locations.AAA projects 81.8 million Thanksgiving travellersWith schools closed and a long weekend ahead, travel is expected to surge. AAA estimates that 81.8 million people will journey at least 50 miles between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1 — 1.6 million more than last year and a potential new record. Nearly 73 million will travel by car, aided by petrol prices holding near $3 a gallon, slightly below last Thanksgiving’s average.About 6 million Americans are expected to fly domestically, a 2% rise from 2024, though cancellations or delays could shift the final count. Another 2.5 million travellers will rely on buses, trains or cruise ships, marking an 8.5% increase from last year.For many households, Thursday offers a quiet holiday — before the weekend turns into one of the year’s busiest on the roads, at airports and at shop entrances.
