Has Shreveport Hobby Lobby Cancelled Mardi Gras?
The owners of Hobby Lobby have always played by their own rules. Many times, the company will make a decision based on morality over the demands of the customers.
According to some, the decision to take Mardi Gras items off the shelves was no different. We all remember when Hobby Lobby stopped carrying Halloween stuff for what many speculate were religious reasons. Now KEEL has received emails and texts (as well as a call to the Shreveport Hobby Lobby) about the pulling of the Mardi Gras stuff out of the store for good. These emails and texts all point to Hobby Lobby thinking Mardi Gras is an anti-Christian holiday with Pagan roots.
Many were stunned to hear that response, because to many here in Louisiana Mardi Gras is a VERY religious holiday leading up to the sacrifices made during Lent. One person who emailed KEEL also said that the Hobby Lobby in Shreveport had a shelf full of Valentine's Day stuff. Which, if you read up on Valentines Day, it was a Christianization of Pagan holiday Lupercalia. Heck, even Christmas has Pagan roots!
It was thought for some time that Mardi Gras had Pagan roots, but history shows that it was made as a direct result of the Catholic Church's practice of celebrating Lent. Mardi Gras was a way to get all of your gluttony and foolishness out of your system before sacrificing and fasting during Lent.
It just seems strange that Hobby Lobby would choose to nix one gluttonous holiday over another. Hobby Lobby is also still putting out St. Patrick's Day items in March. I don't know about you, but this writer personally can't remember the past several St. Paddy's celebrations I was a part of.
An email was sent to Hobby Lobby main headquarters asking simply "why?" they would get rid of Mardi Gras in their stores. No response was given.