August: It was a sweltering 150 degree August day when I walked into Goodwill of Central Arizona. The air conditioned air met me at the door and immediately sent my mind to my happy shopping place. I was ready to take my mind off the heat and shop.

Today: When I opened my Christmas decoration bins this morning, I was smiling ear to ear when I saw these burlap Christmas stockings because I bought them in the middle of August and now here they were, little gifts, just for me. You better believe I was pretty proud of myself for keeping my options open in the middle of that fateful Arizona day.

I have two new burlap stockings in my possession and decided to spruce one up for my front entry buffet. I removed the raffia bow and since I’m not the best bow maker around these parts, I removed a satin flower pin off a lapel from a sweater in my closet. The flower has a very powerful magnet attached to the back and all I had to do was snap it in place.

Just like that, I have a pretty burlap stocking hanging in my entryway.

While a hot August day in Arizona, or anywhere for that matter, is not the best setting to put you in the frame of mind for Christmas shopping, I always keep my options open when shopping at Goodwill.

Today, I’m especially glad I did!