What's your friends' and family's opinion on pony collecting?

[zombienixon]

It's not something that I want very many people knowing about, so it 's pretty much limited to people who will be indifferent to it, are into it themselves, or used to be.

My sister is basically the only member of my family I'm actually comfortable with knowing about it. My Mom still knows about it, even though I haven't mentioned anything about it to her for years.

A number of friends I have are or were bronies, so they don't really mind, I just don't mention how large my collection is to them.

Outside of that, I try and keep it from pretty much everyone else outside the pony community.

[Saber-Toothed Crow]

I have a real mix. Some of my close family supports it and feeds my addiction. My mom is indifferent, though she rolls her eyes once in a while. Some not so nice family members mock me (never to my face of course) and some of my friends are fellow collectors, while others think its just yet another of my odd quirks.

[Kikwifluff]

My mom doesn't mind, she enjoys hunting for ponies with me
My dad, on the other hand, thinks it's very strange and doesn't really like my collection 
My friends and other relatives think my collection is "scary." (Their words, not mine.)


At least I have one relative that likes them 

[Mewtwofan1]

My family dislikes it,but don't say much. My sister however, hates it

[PJSparkles]

My dad doesn't really notice my hobbies, but he seems indifferent to my pony collecting--he hasn't said anything about it yet, at least.

My sister is somewhat supportive and owns about 5 G4s herself, including a custom she made.   Her childhood SHS is in my room indefinitely until I can figure out how to tame her hair (she might be on my shelf for a while ) She's bought me ponies in the past before, for birthdays, christmas, or just because. It's very sweet!

And my mom thinks they're cute, but that I collect them a liiiittle too fast. Sometimes I show her my finds and she'll tell me whether she likes them, or she'll point them out in stores. In the past, she's told me that there's nothing wrong with collecting ponies--and that I don't have to tell anyone that I do. 

I'm sure she meant it in the best way, but even so, I'm too embarrassed to tell most people about my collection, save for my closest friends and you folks on the arena!

[Shy Violet]

I've become more open about my collection and letting more people know about it. Part of that is because when we moved to this house a year and a half ago my office went from being in the basement to being on the main floor and I have lots of ponies and other collections displayed there so people see it when they come over. I think most people think it's weird but don't say anything. My mom has made the odd rude comment about it but the funny thing is she collects things herself and she is the one that kept ALL my childhood toys for me. Infact, she still has all the toys that I don't want to keep at her house for the grandchildren to play with but she still seems to keep everything after they've outgrown it. She has some hoarding tendencies and it's ok for her to collect things but my collection is weird. Anyway, no one has bought me any ponies ever. I have a friend that has found some ponies for me from a preschool closing and I also got her daughter's G4's when she outgrew them. My hubby tolerates it and I think he's coming to accept it but he'd be happier if they were all gone. I've stopped caring what other people think and just focus on my enjoyment of them. 

[MintySocks]

My husband is the person whose opinion I care most about besides my own. He studies me and finds me quirky. So for him, me collecting is just an extension of that quirkiness. He keeps tabs on my wish list and makes an attempt to get me what I want for special occasions. Sometimes he succeeds and gets the right thing!  He has a model airplane collection (including Lego ones he designed himself) so he understands the toy thing to a certain degree. He got a little overwhelmed when I first found the Arena and realized I wasn't the only adult collector, because the pony population in our bedroom kind of exploded that year. LOL! So he and I agreed on getting me a really nice cabinet and I can stuff that thing full as I want, but I promised him no more ponies staring at us while we... uh, sleep. 

My mom is so great about it, because she was the one who bought me all my childhood G1's and she still remembers most of them by sight. She loves that I still keep them. She also patiently listens while I ramble on about it.

Friends my own age, that's a different story for sure. One "friend" I made the mistake of letting her see my cabinet and then she announced at a party in a really loud voice that I was OBSESSED WITH PONIES, which I'm not. It's a hobby, not an obsession. I think my closest friend finds my collecting amusing, maybe even fascinating, but definitely can't relate. The other friends I don't really tell. And if they somehow find out, I just tell them I do it as a way to spend time with my daughters (which is only partly true! ha!).

[northstar3184]

My ponies are secret that no one knows about except you folks at the arena.

[Sochy]

My mom is ok with it, she even let me display my ponies in a corner of the living room since they dont fit in my room anymore. She usually gift me ponies also for b/day, christmas, etc.

A part of my family is indifferent, idk what my father think because he is not part of my life and I dont care. My aun and grandma loves them and my friends thinks Im a bit crazy, but they really dont mind, they like to watch my collection everytime they come home and see how many new ponies I added.

I have a friend that joke that we are going to be single-ladies all our lives, and ending living togheter in a house full of cats, anime figures (her obssesion) and ponies and dachshund dogs (mine)

[Shaz]

I am really very lucky because my girlfriend and I have a shared pony collection! (I got into ponies after we found some of her childhood G1s while clearing out.) Our best friend is also very supportive, buys us ponies for Christmas/birthdays, admires the pony cupboard etc., but thinks our Monster High collection is more awesome. Our assorted parents are also super good to us: they look for ponies in charity shops when they're out, and also her dad helps us out with pony repairs and putting up shelves.

Outside of those people, however, no one knows! I think my girlfriend's extended family would judge her for being 'childish', same goes for some not-so-close friends. As if being childish is a bad thing - after all, large numbers of renowned geniuses and creative types have been very in touch with their childish side!

[Taxel]

Its a bit of a mix.

My boyfriend is very supportive and buys me stuff for my collections every birthday/Christmas/time he's buying me something. If anything starts to bother him, like a messy display getting out of hand, he'll let me know and we work it out. He's wonderful <3 He has a few small collections himself and his main hobby is video games so he can understand the joy a bit and sympathize when people are jerks about it.

His mom is... not so great about it. She used to buy me ponies for Christmas/birthday but that's sort of died off. I'm pretty sure she hates them all - ponies and dolls - and wishes I would get rid of them. She's blatantly hinted at selling them off before. For years she'd get upset and annoyed if anything I owned was outside of my boyfriend and I's bedroom. I basically adopted the attitude of "too bad, I live here too". Having a pony or a doll by my computer hurts no one but it makes me so much happier. She gets really rude any time I get something new for my collections, even if its a gift, asking where I'll put it... even when its a half inch tall figure that sits perfectly on my boyfriend and I's bookcase. If she didn't see the packaging, she would literally never be able to tell I got it... :/
But then on the other hand, sometimes she'll be very supportive and actually talk me into collection stuff I was trying not to add to my wishlist. Its very weird with her.

The rest of my family is a bit hit or miss! My aunt is amazingly supportive and I'm so thankful for it. Ponies, dolls, doesn't matter! She'll find the most amazing presents that fit me perfectly. The rest of the family, whose opinions I care about, are more accepting of the dolls. Doll collecting runs in the family so I'm a fourth generation collector, basically! Generally I'll get dolls from them (usually their own childhood dolls/collections) but sometimes ponies make it into the mix too.

My friends all know. They either collect the same/similar things, collect other stuff, are supportive, or are kind so they don't find the need to say anything rude. That works for me! Sometimes we do private swaps or send one another gifts.

[Shabi]

Most people I know hate it. Well, my parents hate every single thing I do so I'm not surprised anymore. My SO finds it annoying but he doesn't talk about it a lot because he knows it would make me sad or angry. He's just like "oh, you're spending my money on toys again but I won't talk about it because reasoning with you is impossible". But my parents are whom I hate. If it wasn't for them I would be healthy. If they didn't discourage me I would make tons of money by now. I'm just glad I don't have to see them as often as I used to.

[Duenia]

I have a mixed bag of people to deal with.

For family only my immediate family knows about the ponies because my family is known for being judgy. My mom finally accepted that if she wants me in her life because I will pick being happy over her that she'll have to get on board. It took awhile but she seems to have grown to love it. She's always asking for pictures and has gotten pretty good at finding ponies too. She also started her own little toy collection and got back into her doll collection. Her husband doesn't say it, but I think he finds it rather stupid, but at the same time he's also supportive. So that's cool. My younger sibling used to tease me mercilessly but has gotten really chill about it and everything else as well. We actually get along now. I think we both just had some growing up to do before that could happen. Oh and my step dad recently found out and then opted to add to one of my collections. It was the doll collection but still, that's huge. He used to ridicule me about being too old for things.

A couple of my close friends know about it. I've had pony discussions with a couple of them. Some of them collect their own things so we'll go back and forth between ponies and whatever their collection is. It's pretty amazing to see how excited we all get hearing about each other's collections that we really have no interest in outside of the person who has the collection lol.

I keep a couple ponies on my desk at work. I have a few coworkers who I've heard criticizing it behind my back, and had one do it to my face. Then I have other coworkers who think it's cool. Mostly those who have kids who like ponies.

I've been debating letting the rest of my family in on the fact that I collect ponies lol.

[scarletjul]

My ponies live in my closet (space issues) and my family is generally unaware of it. 

My mom and my eldest sister know I collect and will occasionally buy me ponies if they run across them secondhand.  The rest of the family remains unaware.

[PJSparkles]

Most people I know hate it. Well, my parents hate every single thing I do so I'm not surprised anymore. My SO finds it annoying but he doesn't talk about it a lot because he knows it would make me sad or angry. He's just like "oh, you're spending my money on toys again but I won't talk about it because reasoning with you is impossible". But my parents are whom I hate. If it wasn't for them I would be healthy. If they didn't discourage me I would make tons of money by now. I'm just glad I don't have to see them as often as I used to.

I'm sorry you have such negative people in your life that dislike your hobby. I hope having people here on the arena to share your love of ponies helps, even if it's just a little bit.