Et tu, Target?

As I predicted a few weeks ago, my fave local Target ALREADY has their Back-to-School stuff up. Really. I know some parts of the country go back in early August, but here? We're not starting until August 24. Over a month away. Unless you're planning elective surgery or a prolonged vacation, there is NO REASON to be buying school supplies in mid-July. Even a school supplies geek like me, who loves picking out new pens and pencils and Trapper Keepers and lunch boxes and folders and could spend hours looking at spiral notebooks, thinks it's way too soon. Sure I've already got the kids supply lists compiled and ready to go, but I don't think you should actually buy anything until at least August 1. It just feeds into the retail merchandising ethic that brings you Christmas displays* in Walgreens starting in mid-October. Or Valentines stuff on December 27. I'm sure if you took a peek into a Target supply room you'd find boxes of Halloween stuff waiting to be put out the day school starts.

It makes me feel kind of grinchy. And also anxious that if I don't buy the kids' school stuff rightthisverysecond all the good stuff, cool colors, neat-o things are going to be snatched up and picked over and my kids will go back with lame no-brand crayons and the ugly spiral notebooks no one else wanted either. But this year, I Will Be Strong. I will not go back to Target until August 3 (I don't shop on the weekends). I will have Faith that there'll be cool stuff left to buy in August. I will Remember that since the majority of their lists is glue sticks and hand sanitizer I am not going to Worry about notebooks and pencil cases. I know I say this every year, but this year I Mean It.



*I'm not saying that if you found the perfect Christmas gift for someone in July that you shouldn't buy it, even if it is at Walgreens. No sir/madam. I'm all about advance planning. I'm just saying that I don't want my halls decked yet.