What qualifies a pony or accessory to be considered a holy grail?

[Taffeta]

There's a handful of ponies on my list that are worth far more than this one, except I doubt I'll ever actually buy them. I have never spent over $20 on a pony, and I dont know if I really would- other than for my grail (which I dont think should even cost me more than $30- i hope?)

I would doubt it. That set are not so expensive now, but I think what might make her a true grail for you will be finding the most beautiful one you can. Movie Star Wind Whistler isn't uncommon in the places she was sold but finding one with really nice pink hair might be the real challenge, and so that might be a quest all in its own right! That said, I think you should be able to get a nice pink haired one for less than $30.

I have another Lightening or Tornado. I don't have any Mountain Boys. I always wanted to but they are so popular and hard to get. :/ I once found one but it wasn't the right time for me to get him.

The same issue applies to Tornado with the pink hair. My sister's actually has white hair though and she likes him better like that, whereas I held out for a pink haired one. I think with MBs if you are patient and scour around (esp on UK ebay) you can sometimes find a bargain though. Ice Crystal still goes quite high but I have seen some of the others sell for cheaper recently.

[lunar_scythe]

*nods* your grails are *your* grails, the big part is for it to be an emotion involved goal pony, I guess?  My biggest ones have been getting back a childhood pony I accidentally sold in a bait lot on ebay before I even joined the arena(that specific one, with the marking on her foot!), Greek white Skydancer(took me two years, I kept getting sniped!), and the only known MOC white Bluebelle.  

Greek Skydancer was the one I kept missing out on, the MOC was a 'does it even exist' grail, and what are the odds of getting my own childhood pony back, 5+ years after selling it in a bait lot!

[Lore-Lei]

Star Catcher is my holy grail... though considering it is impossible to obtain any kind of G3s here, the entire generation could be considered as grail tier.

[ringwraith10]

I think of a grail in the old school sense of the word. I don't think a grail pony is something that changes as you move through your want list. Those are wants, targets, but they are only grail ponies if the hunt has been long/price a problem/there is some major emotional reason to want it. I think all three of those elements can make a grail but the most important are the first and last. So a pony to which you have some kind of emotional connection and therefore interest in and which you have struggled to track down. I don't think personally that you can have a 'current' grail month by month. But that is just my view and doesn't make a concrete definition.

Yes, I strongly agree with this definition. I have had "minor" grails -- for instance, I have been looking for Spike (any old G1 Spike, seriously) for 25 years. Every time I saw one, someone else snagged it before I had the chance. He's not uncommon, I just had extremely bad luck trying to find him! So, since his price is usually pretty low, I considered him a grail, but a "minor" grail. I finally got him this year, BTW. My major grail is actually a complete set of ponies that are difficult to find in the USA -- the MLP Tales ponies (in all of their forms, including Nurse Sweetheart!). They're just particularly special for me and relatively difficult to find. Other ponies I really want I consider "high priorities" on my wishlist, but not actual grails.

[Harabel]

For me, my grails are most because they were special childhood memories (like Gingerbread and Gusty) or because they have colors or models that I love (like Baby Pony, from Activity Club that's all white or the baby unicorns that have my favorite pony model).
Currently my holly grails are: Baby Gusty, Baby Buttons, Baby Ribbons, Baby Princess Sparkle, Baby Sugarcake and all Babies Twice as Fancy from mail order! I hope some day got all them! 

[Miniature Sheep]

As other folks have said, grails are definitely a very personal thing; they're the ponies who you really strive for, whether it's saving money for them or just being able to find one in good condition!
My grails were Moondancer and Majesty; neither particularly difficult to find ponies in general but I had a hecker of a time trying to get hold of them! Fortunately my patience paid off as I was finally able to get both in lovely condition. Majesty was a replacement for one of my favourite childhood ponies and Moondancer stole my heart with her lovely colours and night-time theme (spotting constellations and observing different phases of the moon makes me happy as Larry!)

Here they are partaking of some fresh coffee (it's alright for some!)

visitors can't see pics , please register or login

[PuddingPie]

i use "grail" very loosely as just a term to describe Ponies i really, really want! even if they're not uncommon or expensive. my family's fallen on tough times and i don't have a job, so any Pony is a grail pony to me 

Lickety Split is a grail Pony of mine, but she's really common! on the other hand, the Junko Mizuno art Ponies are grails of mine too, and they can be pretty elusive. so it all depends! do what you want!

[jrr74]

After reading everyone's post, and some of you have a beautiful story behind your personal definition of a holy grail, I realize I too was using the term too loosely, to me it was just a hard to come by item that I really, really wanted to the point of being obsessed over it, but no true emotional connection.  I realize now that these ponies were more along the lines of a conquest.  And then it dawned on me, I do have a holy grail, a pony I have thought about occasionally throughout the years/decades  .  It would be my childhood Applejack who I lost to a storm drain thanks to the naughty neighbor girl. It still makes me a little sad and mad thinking about it.  I did eventually buy another Applejack, but she is the second version.  In fact, any of my remaining childhood ponies I would consider my holy grail.  I keep them separated from all of the other ponies

This is what is left of my childhood collection, my holy grails...
visitors can't see pics , please register or login


Firefly was my first MLP followed by Glory.  Replacement Applejack is in the back.  MY MO CP ponies, play set ponies...such fond childhood memories.  My brother and I would play with a combination of MLP and He-Man characters.  The mlp were the noble steeds in the battle between good and bad   

[S.o.a.r.]

For almost 20 years, I secretly dreamed of owning the Surprise Twins Monmy pony and MLPT Schoolhouse. My friends' owned both and I loved playing with them! I wanted them so badly for Christmas and my birthday, but no such luck. I don't even remember seeing either of them in store!

Finally, this fall, I own both in MIB and NM condition! At this point, any other pony or playset is just icing on the cake!

[jrr74]

For almost 20 years, I secretly dreamed of owning the Surprise Twins Monmy pony and MLPT Schoolhouse. My friends' owned both and I loved playing with them! I wanted them so badly for Christmas and my birthday, but no such luck. I don't even remember seeing either of them in store!

Finally, this fall, I own both in MIB and NM condition! At this point, any other pony or playset is just icing on the cake!

Wow, 20 years!  A huge congratulations to never giving up and then exceeding your dreams 

Post Merge: November 20, 2015, 02:58:22 PM

SS Twilight is always past my upper spending limit, gets snatched up quickly and doesn't show up often. I've given up on ever owning her. I call her a Never-Grail.

That is so sad...If I ever come across another one in a lot, she is going to you! 

[SkyCakes]

I have another Lightening or Tornado. I don't have any Mountain Boys. I always wanted to but they are so popular and hard to get. :/ I once found one but it wasn't the right time for me to get him.

The same issue applies to Tornado with the pink hair. My sister's actually has white hair though and she likes him better like that, whereas I held out for a pink haired one. I think with MBs if you are patient and scour around (esp on UK ebay) you can sometimes find a bargain though. Ice Crystal still goes quite high but I have seen some of the others sell for cheaper recently.

I keep that in mind it just comes down to the right time ect.  I know I will get one someday.

[hathorcat]

I love the idea that it changes from person to person. For me, its the thing that I want most. And it will change once that "grail" is found. However as I have been looking for the same 4 grail accessories for the last 5 or 6 years I think I will have the same grails for a while.