Sales Tax Holiday

I took advantage of the sales tax holiday on school supplies in Missouri to buy supplies for Zentangle creation: neon card stock and pens. I cut one page of each of the cardstock colors into 3.5-inch squares to use immediately…and am enjoying one of the black Sharpie gel pens.

New supplies are still a treat – just as they were over 60 years ago when I was in elementary school. The list of supplies was not published in advance by the schools so there was a line to get into the store and pick up things once we had it. My mother always included us in the shopping…if there was a decision on color/style – we got to make it! What made the experience so memorable? Maybe it was the crowd. I can remember savoring the new supplies too – the pristine crayons, the packages of notebook paper, pencils to sharpen, a fabric covered looseleaf notebook.

I don’t think there were sales tax holidays 60 years ago. Perhaps they are what causes a crowd in the school supply area now since the supply lists are published online or available printed in the stores. When I was in the store there was a mother with two children shopping for supplies…it was before 8 AM on the first of day of the 3-day holiday. The store had organized the school supply area for a crowd…anticipating lots of shoppers to come. I was glad to make my purchases early.