I shopped for fall decor at Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Both stores were winners — just not for the same holiday.

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.

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.

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.