Paper Source is one of two places (the other being REI Co-op, a haven for outdoor clothing and gear) where you can walk out of the store with mysteriously much less money than you had when you entered. My journey to Paper Source was very important for two reasons. First, it marked my first time driving alone (#ProvisionalLicense), and second, I had an article to write that was due in two days (oops). After doing endless laps around Georgetown trying to find parking, and wondering if I should have gone to the Bethesda location instead, I arrived at the one and only Paper Source, a store filled with stationary supplies and various gifts. 

Greeted by a Halloween window display, I entered the shop through a loud slamming door. In the front of the store sat a Halloween and a Thanksgiving-themed table. Although holiday decorations seemed a bit premature, I guess I should have appreciated that these tables weren’t Christmas-themed (yet).

The fall displays had everything that you could possibly need, and everything that you definitely won’t need. The Halloween table was filled with black cat mugs, puzzles, ghost stickers, pumpkin-themed cards, books, stuffed animals, various paper decorations, and so much more. A pumpkin shaped stress ball caught my eye, and I was immediately brought back to when my stress ball, of the same brand, exploded in a department store. Apart from reminiscing the traumatizing experience, this display definitely got me excited for the upcoming spooky holiday, even if I won’t have a costume picked out or a pumpkin carved until October 29th, at the earliest. 

However, the Thanksgiving table had slightly too much millennial influence (that one cursive font…) for my liking. There was a surplus of turkey and pie inspired items; plates, table decorations, napkins, paper glasses, banners, wreaths, and more. My personal favorite was the butter-themed socks, which would be a vital addition to any Thanksgiving outfit. Despite not being a huge mashed potatoes and gravy enthusiast, this table made me want to host a Thanksgiving dinner with an excessive amount of paper decorations. 

Exiting the store, I saw even more people enter, their faces lighting up as they saw the Halloween party hats or perhaps the Thanksgiving surprise balls (although those were a bit suspicious to me). Although I practiced great self-control when I entered Paper Source, I encourage you to do the opposite. The lively shop is stuffed with eclectic gifts, decorations, toys, candy, and, of course, paper to buy!