What is Your Reason to Collect?

[PonyWisp]

Hello Everypony!
I have collected ponies since I was a child...back when garage sales had boxes of ponies for a quarter each.  I have since lost almost all of my G1s...darned parents making room in the attic... at which point I returned to serious collecting after I moved out and with G3s.  I went through the whole run with them and it was amazing!  Watching for what was new and coming, checking all the stores in my area for new items and exclusives, being on the Arena almost every day, setting up a pony shelf, then a closet, then finally a whole room!  Since then, I have gotten older, and my life has changed.  I have commmitted to long term relationships, I have several children now, I own a house and have animals, and I am flat broke.  I have gone in and out of collecting the last several years, mainly for emotional reasons, and quite often for the sake of not having a spare dime anywhere... My jobs have been fairly unstable and my income not something that we can count on.  I am working on a long term investment right now, but IF it works out, I won't see a return for 2 more years and then we have large debts to pay off, such as student loans etc before I can really start having that income for "fun" stuff.  So my ponies have been in boxes, and our on shelves, and in boxes, and in the closet, and on shelves etc etc etc

I can't bring myself to get rid of them, but I know that I will not have money to be actively collecting...  So my question for you is this:
Do you take joy just in your collection being what it is, or do you need to have the thrill of getting new things, finishing sets, seeing what gems are in that next grab bag lot, etc?

[NoPonySpecial]

...reason? 
 Well, I started collecting the brushable ponies to recreate my childhood collection after I got back into ponies (thanks to Friendship is Magic.) But then I kept seeing fun or beautiful ponies that I wanted to have in my herd, then I needed some male ponies around to explain why there were babies, etc etc...collecting just kind of happens. I collect because I love the ponies.
  The other things you mentioned, the thrill of finding treasures and completing sets (satisfying our urge to hunt!), is a huge thing for a lot of people. Personally, I only plan to collect the ponies I truly  like and enjoy. When I finish my want list, I'll be done. (Yeah, I know, famous last words.) If my collection gets too big, it overwhelms me, takes up space, I feel guilty about owning so many things, too many things to love, and just isn't fun any more. That happened with Beanie babies when I was a child, and I don't want it to happen again.

[MimiTheMuse]

Honestly? My Little Ponies were a huge part of my childhood, growing up in the 80's. I started telling stories first through them, and that also makes them a huge part of my evoluation as a writer. Add on that I'm a horse crazy and love toys...and yeah.

I go through periods where I don't add anything to my collection for several months at a time, and I am just happy to see my ponies and photograph them. The same goes for my dolls. I collect several different things, so I kinda go through cycles of adding and cycles of just enjoying.

I sold a bunch of my G3's because I got overwhelmed with the "gotta get 'em all" mentality...Pokemon syndrome, lol. I'm trying to rebuild that collection now, and I wish I hadn't done it BUT it taught me several important things as a collector - only buy what you love, it's okay to take breaks and it's okay to let some things go for other things.

[Glitzy Gems]

Ooh, I've thought about this actually, about WHY I collect. I never had ponies in my childhood, except possibly an Applejack I hardly remember, and I could have a false memory. Dad took care of me primarily during the early years (long story short, my mom was vicious towards us and she eventually left us, leaving me without a mom for a very long time). He'd always steer me towards toys he liked, and when I was a child I didn't mind. Of course this meant I had dinosaurs, action figures, toy cars, animal figurines, etc. I NEVER went into the girls aisles because Dad would complain about being surrounded by pink, and even as a little thing I was embarrassed by it.

The first thing I started to collect without him judging it were Pokemon cards, which drove him nuts. I was a very sloppy collector and only collected the shiny, or otherwise special cards. I ended up throwing out or giving away most of my cards....but to this day I still have a giant book full of them. I was able to collect until he got hurt on his job, however. He got severed injured, and we practically became homeless for a long time. Everything was rotten, my mom looming over us was awful, and I became infested with lice and we couldn't afford treatment. I developed a laundry list of mental....somethings. I started to lie constantly. I decided to hate people and tried to hurt them. I was only 9, 10, 11 years old, but I was vindictive and cruel. I wanted to hurt people. I wasn't a child anymore.

Fast forward through years of deserved and undeserved bullying, a change in schools, assault, racism, and my mom coming back into my life, and I was a wreck. I wasn't a nasty bully anymore, but I was still angry, and a giant crybaby who ran to the counselor's office every single day for two months. My counselor finally blew up at me around my 50th visit in a row. She told me to grow a backbone, that not everyone is out to get me, etc. I was devastated but she was right. She told me also that she never met someone who acted like me, so....out of touch with everything. I didn't act like a normal 14 year old. I didn't have friends, a social life, or even regular clothes (dad couldn't bring himself to buy plus-size clothes, because he was ashamed of my stature; I had to wear his hand-me-downs from when he was thinner).  I was introduced to a new type of school program she described as being "for people who didn't fit in regular school". I completed the application, was accepted, became a student, and started working on myself as well as my schoolwork.

I went through ups and downs....Freshman year was excellent, sophomore year was a downgrade, and junior year I flunked every class. That did it for me, I kicked my arse into gear after a loooong two years of thinking I was a failure. Senior year sees improvement...also in senior year, is when I began collecting again.

It was 2011 when I picked up my first figure. It was an early Fluttershy, with her darker hair. I picked her because she was my boyfriend's favorite pony at the time, and we were watching FiM together. I didn't think I would get more however, because I didn't like the show. In fact, I hated it. I only watched it for my boyfriend. I hated it not because of the ponies but because of an ex ruining it for me by being obnoxious about loving it.

But when I took Fluttershy home, and ripped her out of that awful packaging, and put the crummy little comb through her hair....I felt at peace.

I felt like this was what I was missing; something I could pamper and play with, something colorful...something feminine and sweet, something I wasn't. I felt like a kid again, and making her hair look like it did in the show made me feel like I never had a bad childhood. It's so overwhelming but so simple. I found that despite my then-hatred of the show, I wanted to get another toy. So I got Rarity next. Then Twilight Sparkle. My friends got me AJ and Pinkie Pie as a small gift, and my mom herself bought me a Rainbow Dash, the one that came with the scooter.

A year later and I had 200+ ponies, from all generations. I love the show, Applejack is my favorite pony, and I have a display for my collection mom built (she's been a lot better about being...well, her). Even my dad grudgingly accepts my hobby. Besides being a wonderful throwback to the childhood I never had, they also help with my severe anxiety. Even as I type this I'm feeling like this is far too long an answer, but I feel better because I can just grab my AJ motion toy, or my Starbeam or Fluttershy, and calm down.

So after all of that?
Ponies played a part in me becoming a better person. Since collecting, I've made amazing grades at school. My three final semesters of early college, I made straight As despite having 5, 6 classes each semester, something I never did before. I've made some friends, I have a passion, I've gotten more into character design art, and found that I want to work with an animation company, designing their characters 

I also found my faith, which is far more important and was something I also deeply struggled with, but I can't deny that ponies are absolutely key in who I am today!

Sorry about this being awfully long!

[SkyCakes]

I think because I was little playing with ponies in the 80s I was about only 8-9 years old. Ponies just came out so they were a big deal. I remember playing alot with them. I had alot of adventures.
 I think however if im not actively collecting ponies. That I can't seem to slow down. Im also a set completer. So if its one that I really need to complete that set of ponies it makes it even more of a big deal. I feel like I accomplish something when I complete a set.
  Sometimes I get like if I can't have that one special pony. I buy a lot of other ponies to satisfy the pony hunger..  I think its the thrill of the hunt for new ponies I don't have or special ones that makes me keep going as a collector. I do enjoy what I do have. I love my collection and I feel sometimes I turn around and there's more and more behind me lol.  I suppose if I had all of my ponies out I still would want more. That's just me as a collector.

[brightberry]

Do you take joy just in your collection being what it is, or do you need to have the thrill of getting new things, finishing sets, seeing what gems are in that next grab bag lot, etc?

I tend to admire what I have and try to be happy with it.  Usually when I want something new, I've spent a long time thinking about it and coming to the conclusion that I really want it.  But despite that, my collections still grow.  I guess I just enjoy collecting stuff and there is no getting around it.

[Henpatch]

Glitzy Gems - what an amazing person you have grown into! I hope you continue to be proud or yourself and belief in YOUR ideas and dreams. Full marks for sharing you road through life! AND don't loose you love for ponies - or if you do - make sure you have another goal and go for it!

MY pony collection is pretty ordinary - I started collecting them for my granddaughter but she quicky grew out of them and has now handed back an HUGE lot of ponies she no-longer want.
I somehow just kept going with the ponies!
While I was working and had some $ I bought heaps of ponies to add to my collection and of course many to sell.
When I found the Arena - it was disaster - all these Nirvanas! Not to mention set completing ponies!
Now I am retired - and I look at my HUGE collection of ponies and wish I could buy more - but realistically I must downsize - not just for the money - but to save my family the agony of what to do with thousands of toy horses after I am gone!!!

Meantime - I love ponies....I am selling some -but also enjoying the thrill of a new pony here and there!
Think senility has set in! (Wonder if there is room in my nursing home for 1000s of toy ponies!!!!!!) 

[shabbychicdee]

they make me so happy.
i loved my little ponies in the 80s, i loved a lot of toys like transformers and care bears, sea wees, Garfield. but mlp was my big all time fav, when i was in my early 20s i was really sad to find out my brother got rid of all my childhood toys even though i thought i didnt care cos i was all grown up but deep down inside it bugged me so a couple years later i was searching second hand stores, trade and exchange newspaper where it all snow-balled from there.
iv been really enjoying collecting g4 cos they are so affordable, handy in the shops and i love the cartoon and characters  AND it fulls the collecting hunger feeling, the thrill of the chase, i hate being broke especially when you want to spoil yourself or need a pick-me-up so that's how i got into g4 blind bags.

when i don't have the funds to get ones i want at that time, i get the ones i do have out on display (i don't have much room) and then appreciate them, they all have to get rotated around on what little space i have

its my hobby and the best hobby in the world for me
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[achab1984]

They brought me alot of happniess when I was little. So they bring back alot of good feelings and memories from when I was a little kid. I love to look at all there colors and symbols on them. There kind eyes and little smiles on there faces. They bring me alot of happniess and that is why I have them still in my life.

[shabbychicdee]

Now I am retired - and I look at my HUGE collection of ponies and wish I could buy more - but realistically I must downsize - not just for the money - but to save my family the agony of what to do with thousands of toy horses after I am gone!!!
 
Think senility has set in! (Wonder if there is room in my nursing home for 1000s of toy ponies!!!!!!) 

wow henpatch, thats amazing and lol, we will be there searching ebay when you do just kidding you must have such an amazing collection do you have photos somewhere of them. 1000 i would do snow angels in them

Post Merge: January 20, 2013, 02:34:25 PM

They brought me alot of happniess when I was little. So they bring back alot of good feelings and memories from when I was a little kid. I love to look at all there colors and symbols on them. There kind eyes and little smiles on there faces. They bring me alot of happniess and that is why I have them still in my life.

yes this, every word of this. it brings back all the happiness of the 80s and i forget all the negative things from the 80s

[kellyponyfeathers]

Nostalgia, yes, and I do it because I've always done it.  It's a part of who I am.

[Summer-blade]

party nostalgia and party because I've really come to enjoy the pony community it's self 

[invaderhorizongreen]

I collect because it gives me a way to escape the world for a while , there is no judgement involved and In a way I feel at peace.

[Yurusumaji]

Do you take joy just in your collection being what it is, or do you need to have the thrill of getting new things, finishing sets, seeing what gems are in that next grab bag lot, etc?

For me, it's both. I love my collections. I enjoy going into my hobby room and being swallowed by my sea of collections. I love being enveloped in the colors and remembering how I got them and how I became interested in them. I like to rearrange them, brush their hair, hug them, all that jazz. Sometimes I'll even pick someone up on my way out of the house and bring them on my errands just for the fun of it. I also now have a really nice display cabinet in my living room to display the more expensive collections I have (anime figures & ABJDs) right in the main area of the house.

I also love adding, but I only add when I can afford to do so. For ponies, I love thrifting. I really enjoy going to the flea market not far from here and picking up ponies that way. Sure, it's mostly G3s, but I get great deals on them and I like G3s fine. Or I'll grab one $5 pony from Walmart that I don't have. For all of my collections, it's budgeting and knowing how much money I have at my disposal at any given time. I actually keep track of my spending money right on my phone so I can check it when I'm out and about if I'm not sure.

I haven't added to my Pokémon collection in 3 years. Regardless, I'd never sell it. I love every piece I have and anyone who wants to get my collection from me will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.

[mlp4me]

Reason.... Liked as a child, somewhat easy to find and slightly inexpensive. Fun to customize and sell...