Hobby Lobby

I knew it before, but today really confirmed my thoughts...I ADORE Hobby Lobby.

Reason #1: Hobby Lobby is a Christian organization, and I love walking through the store with encouraging music behind me.

Reason #2: Hobby Lobby starts celebrating Christmas when the rest of the world should...August. I don't know anywhere else where you can shop aisles and aisles of Christmas decorations before the weather even starts to get cold. (Hallmark starts selling Christmas ornaments in June or July, but that's a little different.) I get the itch to listen to Christmas music right around when the rest of the world goes back to school, so I could roam the half of the store covered with sparkly garland, pre-lit Christmas trees, and stuffed snowmen for HOURS. To me, the religious meaning of the season is most important, but the secular holiday has its positive points too. I love the thought of snow, I love to bless my family, and I LOVE The Nutcracker. I am guilty of fighting the crowds the day after Thanksgiving to get the good deals, and I wear a Christmas sweater and listen to Frank Sinatra during the process. My Christmas wrapping paper is carefully selected every year, and even though no one notices, I know. :)

Reason #3: If you buy certain things at the right time, you get crafty stuff for a steal. I went to get some fabric for a little project I'm working on today, and the fabric was 30% off. The scrapbook paper was 50% off. (I was thinking of you Kate!!) I asked Jonathan if I could buy one Christmas decoration (he said yes, but laughed at me), and as there were no nutcrackers at that time, I opted for Fall decorations instead (which were 40% off). Fall is actually my favorite season of the year, and there's no reason for me to pass up enjoying Fall because of Christmas. The only problem is that I still don't want to pay for the gourds, even with their discounts. After my banana bread whining this morning, I started thinking that within a week, I'll be able to buy a baking pumpkin, and who needs banana bread when I can make cranberry pumpkin bread from scratch? (Even if the grocery stores/Wal-Mart aren't carrying fresh cranberries yet, the natural food store currently has fresh cranberries kept in water and sold by the pound.) I don't mind canned pumpkin, but nothing beats fresh pumpkin. :)

Okay, I know I've deviated a little bit from the original point of my post, but I'm super ready for cool weather and the smell that comes with the changing of the season, and Hobby Lobby inspires me. I have a lot of great ideas of things to do around the house and for Christmas gifts this year.