pcmp-brandy_a1

Brandy Jesperson

All of us at Paper Crafts eat lunch together every day. When I first started working here I thought this was a bit odd. Okay, maybe odd isn’t the right word. Let’s just say I found this practice to be unexpected. 

Prior to working at Paper Crafts, I’d worked for a TV station so lunch time was when everyone would close their office doors and watch the news or the latest episode of Days of Our Lives. I’ll admit to being somewhat sucked into the plot of this cheesy soap opera, but as an excuse I was working for an NBC affiliate and couldn’t very well change the channel! However, now I can’t imagine lunch any other way than with my co-workers and friends. 

Today was an extra special lunch because we were able to visit with our cute summer 2008 intern, Ms. Kalyn Kepner. Kalyn is visiting from Pennsylvania and met us for lunch. We all had lots of fun catching up with Kalyn and exchanging our usual team banter. 

One particular topic of conversation: Christmas decorations. I typically put up my Christmas decorations days after Halloween. I’m a little crazy like that. In fact, my neighbors’ and friends’ gifts are already purchased and wrapped in their cute kraft and orange packaging. Like I said, I’m Christmas crazy! Jennifer begins setting things out on Nov. 1, but everything isn’t completely Christmas-fied until later in the month. (As a side note, I can hear Christmas music drifting from Jennifer’s office as we speak!) Cath however has strict guidelines and will not put out her holiday decorations until the Thanksgiving feast has been enjoyed by all.   

The Paper Crafts offices aren’t decorated yet, but Santa’s elves have been busy snatching up hot pink, lime green and red ornaments. As a team we’re decorating a tree for a fundraiser called the Festival of Trees. We donate a decorated tree that is later auctioned off. All the money earned goes to the patients at a local children’s hospital and the person who purchases the tree gets a one-of-a-kind creation to decorate their home. Here’s a little sneak peek of some of the ornaments we’ve purchased. Stay tuned for a pic of the final product in a few weeks!

I {heart} Christmas…and IKEA!

It seems most people have pretty strong opinions about the whole when-to-decorate topic. So, I’d like to make you all honorary Paper Crafts lunch ladies. If you were eating lunch with us today (which is WAY COOLER than watching Days of Our Lives, by the way), when would you say you begin decorating your abode for the holidays? Leave me a comment and I’ll randomly select one winner to receive this assortment of product generously donated by K&Company. All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

One lucky winner will take home K&Company's Evergreen collection!

Yours in holiday gladness,
Brandy