I can understand that argument.

But conversely if everyone is forced to take the same day, or days, then it entirely ignores the idea of different cultures.

In Islam their...... (sorry -- can't think of a better way to phrase this) their Sunday is Friday. So it is most likely that in a Muslim family most of them would want their rest day to be Friday.

Christians would take Sunday. The Jewish day of rest is Saturday.

Yeah -- there'd be allowances for schools, and teachers in state/secular schools.

I understand the friends problem, and it's something to work around, but as I said if you force every culture and every person into taking the same day just because one culture or one religion says "this is the day" then....... it seems somewhat dictatorial.

I find the opposite. Nothing is more frustrating than a Holiday where everything is all closed as well. Sometimes you see enough of family and friends and you have life stuff to catch up on.

I've known a lot of people who thrived on Second- and Third-Shift, or found jobs that let them trade holidays with their own day-off of choice, and/or made sure to work weekends and take weekdays off. The world stopping for everyone at the same time is great if you want to sit on your couch and watch tv, but can get in the way if you want to live your life.

That was the lesson I got when I started working and finally had my holiday. Great, I'm off, but no one else is. At least all of the museums, attractions and activities are open.