- I went shopping for fall decorations at Michaels and Hobby Lobby to see which had better options.
- Michaels blew me away with its Halloween decorations, elevated crafts, and spooky themes.
- Hobby Lobby had no Halloween decor, but its Thanksgiving and general autumnal fare was hard to beat.
The instant I sense a new season approaching, or even prematurely "smell it in the air," I'm already excited to decorate. This is especially true for fall, since it includes warm colors, cozy smells, nostalgic accents, and pumpkin-themed everything.
Unpacking my bins this year, however, my lineup felt stale. I decorate for fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving individually, and all three collections needed some (pumpkin) spice.
So, I visited my nearest Michaels and Hobby Lobby for some inspiration. To my surprise, the nearest locations of each craft store were next door to each other — in the same building.
Both had festive vibes, seasonal sales, and complete fall collections, even in mid-August when I shopped, but that's where the similarities ended. Here's how the stores compared.
I started at Michaels, which felt like a Halloween wonderland.
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The first thing I saw was when I entered a rack of Halloween doormats, so I knew I was in for a spooky experience.
Passing through what seemed like way too many faux pumpkins led me to the Halloween section, which took up the entire front half of the store.
With skull-covered wreaths, creepy garlands, life-size dolls, and hanging ghosts, Michaels felt haunted from the get-go.
Hobby Lobby didn't sell Halloween decor, but its fall collection seemed promising.
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Hobby Lobby's focus was on general fall vibes and Thanksgiving, with no Halloween decor in sight.
This could be because Hobby Lobby's CEO and founder, David Green, is a devout Christian and has publicly committed the chain to "honoring the Lord." Some Christians view Halloween as a pagan holiday and do not celebrate it.
Call me a spooky Scrooge, but the lack of Halloween decorations didn't bother me. I'm not a fan of the holiday's scary side anyway.
Walking into Hobby Lobby, I was greeted by harvest figures, garlands, and tabletop "thankful" signs before I even got through the door.
Michaels' Halloween decorations looked top-notch.
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Michaels is the place to go for chilling Halloween decor. I encountered blackened trees, eerie paintings, frightening skull candles, and sets of haunted houses that reminded me of Christmas villages, but with a Halloween twist.
I prefer the cute stuff, so the cowboy-themed ghost garlands and sparkly candy-corn accents caught my attention. Most items were too scary for my preferences, but I found a few gems.
Hobby Lobby's fall decor was basic in the best way.
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Some may call it cheesy, but I say "kitschy."
Everywhere I turned were signs that read "Hello, Pumpkin," "Happy Fall, Y'all," and my personal favorite, "Family is Everything." Not creative, per se, but classic.
These blissfully hokey sayings covered mugs, dish towels, tabletop displays, and even yard signs. Additionally, the store seemed to embrace pumpkins in every aisle.
I'd grab candles at Michaels or Hobby Lobby any day this season.
I found a lot of candles at Michael's (left) and Hobby Lobby (right).
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Michaels had fall candles right when I walked in — and I found decadent scents like brown-butter pumpkin and apple-streusel coffee cake.
Turns out, the party was just starting. An entire collection awaited me further into the store.
The dreamy assortment included autumn fog, forest hearth, pumpkin bread, and sweet cider, among other sweater-weather sniffs.
Hobby Lobby also carried fall candles, and in my opinion, the jars were even prettier than the ones at Michaels. After smelling all of them, the maple and cream latte and vanilla and berry amber won me over.
As an avid Michigan football fan, I got excited for game day at Hobby Lobby.
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Both stores offered tailgate items, but Hobby Lobby had a much larger spread. In addition to football-shaped bowls and kickoff-ready serving platters, I discovered pajama pants, doormats, tabletop decorations, and blankets.
Honestly, I'm glad neither store had Wolverines-specific gear. If they did, I'd walk out with a full cart.
For anything related to astrology, crystal balls, or Shakespeare, Michaels delivered.
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I'm not tuned in to what it means to be a Leo, but I appreciated the astrology-inspired collection. Magic and mystic, it made me want to get a palm reading.
I thought the astrology section was unique, but then I stumbled upon a Shakespeare-inspired selection, complete with "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet," and "Macbeth"-themed items. It ended up being my favorite aisle.
Hobby Lobby was a utopia for Thanksgiving pieces.
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As someone who helps with Thanksgiving cooking and table-setting, I get excited about casserole dishes and spoon rests.
Hence, I was tickled by Hobby Lobby's selection, which included not only seasonal plates and bowls, but also rustic cutting boards, autumnal loaf pans, leaf-shaped silicone molds, pumpkin salt-and-pepper shakers, and more.
Michaels' fall section was up and running, but I didn't see much for Thanksgiving.
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Anything would seem dim in comparison to its Halloween lineup, but objectively, I didn't see much Thanksgiving-specific decor — except for a few pillows and a banner that read "Give Thanks."
However, I did enjoy its freestanding display of decorative fall gourds, yard signs, and doormats.
Both stores had themed characters.
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I found Hello Kitty and characters from "Lilo & Stitch," "Despicable Me," and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" at Michaels, all Halloween-ified in some way.
Hobby Lobby had wholesome icons like Minnie Mouse, Charlie Brown, and Snoopy participating in fall activities. Not scary, of course, but adorable.
If I had kids, I'd snag crafts at Hobby Lobby.
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In addition to basic wood crafts, Hobby Lobby had an entire aisle of unique activities, such as foam-headband kits, paintable suncatchers, and pinecone-making projects. It also offered seasonal books and puzzles.
The 1,000-piece puzzles were obviously geared toward adults, but everything else seemed perfect for elementary-school-aged kids.
Michaels seemed to have more crafts for teens and adults.
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If painting by numbers and crocheting are your forte, you'll find plenty at Michaels. The former intrigued me most, especially since I came across an elevated, gallery-style kit for only $9.99.
The children's fall craft department didn't thrill me, but it redeemed itself in toys. Cauldron slime, glow-in-the-dark putty, spider rings, and maze games were just a few highlights.
Hobby Lobby seemed ready for Christmas — and was already running a sale.
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While I was in the store, I heard about Hobby Lobby's Christmas section over the intercom, specifically the 50% off sale. Naturally, I went to check it out.
Stationed just beyond the fall section, the Christmas setup was already half complete. Flashing holiday trees, rows of ribbons, and Christmas trains got me excited for the holiday season.
Early? Yes, but as a certified Christmas fanatic, I appreciated the enthusiasm.
Overall, Michaels was a one-stop shop for Halloween.
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Even though Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, I can appreciate good decorations, and Michaels went above and beyond.
The fall section was also solid, especially for faux pumpkins, cute garlands, wreaths, candles, and doormats. It had more pillows than Hobby Lobby, printed with sayings like "Give Thanks" and "Autumn Leaves and Pumpkin Please."
For quintessential fall and Thanksgiving decor, I'd go to Hobby Lobby.
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Aside from pillows and candles, Hobby Lobby excelled in the fall department, specifically for tabletop decorations, kitchen items, and outdoor signs.
Plus, it had a robust selection of kid-friendly crafts and game day supplies.
From "pumpkin spice and everything nice" aprons to those scarecrows/harvest people I never understood, Hobby Lobby had all the basics.
Nothing super special, but it gave me that warm-fuzzy feeling inside.
To properly refresh my collection, I'd have to shop at both.
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Neither store covered every base — or, from the glass-half-full perspective, each store had specialties.
Since selections varied so widely, I couldn't exactly compare prices, but I did notice a decent amount of 40%-off sales at both retailers.
Many Michaels' deals I saw were tied to its in-house brands, like Ashland, and many, not all, seasonal items were marked down. At times, I wasn't sure what was or wasn't on sale, especially in the Halloween section.
Prices felt much more straightforward to me at Hobby Lobby. The store advertised "40% Off Fall Decor, Party, Floral, and Crafts" on the front door, which felt comprehensive and gave me less guesswork.
All in all, I'd have to shop at both retailers to cover fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving; however, since the stores are in the same building, I have no issue making a Saturday of it.
Just not a Sunday, when Hobby Lobby locations are closed, and I learned that the hard way on my first attempt to shop.
Business Insider reached out to Michaels and Hobby Lobby for comment.
The post I shopped for fall decor at Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Both stores were winners — just not for the same holiday. appeared first on Business Insider
