Collections of the Past and Present
Most parents and grandparents have noticed that their kids and grandkids loved collecting things at one point or another. It could be rocks they find outside, seashells they seek out whenever they're at the beach or a specific kind of toy. Growing up, my mom and dad encouraged us to collect coins that turned into a rather large coin collection. It's fascinating why children collect things, but the main reason is that it's fun. Kids get to learn more about things they enjoy, and it's interesting for them.
Over the years, I have collected stamps with my grandparents, spoons from the places I traveled, black and white prints of towns and cities I visited, wine corks, matchbooks, and books. Until now, I didn't realize that I was having so much fun collecting all these items, and I'm sure there are more that I can't remember.
Webkinz
It’s not uncommon for kids to be interested in a wide variety of things and collect about anything, like key chains, Pokemon cards, and Beanie Babies. Our daughters started collecting Webkinz when this plush first hit the market in 2005. Webkinz was one of the first children's toys to bridge the plush and digital worlds. The stuffed animals were sold with codes that allowed its owner to bring its pet to life and care for it in the cartoon-style Webkinz World online. When the newest Webkinz pet came out, we all jumped in the car and rushed to the nearest Hallmark store to snatch it up if it was available. If not, the hunt continued.
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining items of interest to an individual collector.
However, this isn't the only reason why people collect things. Others do so out of nostalgia for their youth. As any parent or grandparent knows, it is common for children to go through phases obsessed with certain things. These phases can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several years, but most of us eventually grow out of them. Yet some people never do, or they return to their childhood passions later in life. Their collection acts as a sort of safety net from the adult world for these people. It is a way for them to temporarily let go of the burdens of their present lives and put themselves back in their younger self's shoes.
To younger generations, things like record albums or DVDs hold little meaning. For others, like myself, these are the things that I grew up with. As the modern world moves further ahead, collecting these objects becomes more and more alluring. They offer a retreat back to simpler times, especially when such items are no longer produced. Of course, these objects will be all but forgotten in the future. But people will always be nostalgic for the past, and there will never be a shortage of items that evoke these feelings.
Today, toys and dolls tied in with movies are usually a big hit. These items aren't huge investments, and Disney collectibles always have a strong market. Once you've purchased a few dolls, stash them away carefully in their original boxes, and keep checking their value over the next few years. They could be the next big Disney collectible. The golden rule of collecting is to buy what you love, and if you're lucky, it'll become valuable. My spoons, matchbooks, and wine corks are long gone, but it was fun when I was young to collect these unusual items I loved at the time. What’s in your collection?
