Do you collect anything besides timeshares?

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

While I was hauling out all the boxes of Christmas stuff to decorate the house, I was enjoying my santa collection. I don't remember how or when I started collecting these guys but over the last couple of decades I've accumulated lots of them. Many are gifts from family & friends, Some I found while traveling so they are sort of souvenirs. A few have "spoken" to me and said " Take me home with you."

I'm not really a pack rat sort of person. But I do love my santas. And pink flamingos. I don't actually have any of the pink plastic yard ornaments but I have a pretty eclectic collection of figurines, wind chimes, & such that stay out to enjoy year round. Unlike my santas which get put away for 11 months of the year. Except for this one


He combines my affection for flamingos & santas & has a permanent home on the bookshelf.

So what do you collect?

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Good one, like your picture, wished I had one.

[IreneLF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close IreneLF]

In 1972 I started taking matchbooks from every place I"ve eaten.
Enjoyed the eclectic nature and they reminded me of trips taken when I browsed through them years later.. Now with all the antismoking, most restaurants have no matches so the 'collection' is pretty much a bust and gets added to very infrequently.

Also saved postcards from all over the world (had a lot of penpals and we traded). Must have 10 shoeboxes of them. Now trying to figure out what to do with them and the matches.

I just read there is a flea market in Paris that trades in both these things, "paper" memorabilia. The postcards sell for a Euro and up ($1.50). Maybe I should just ship the lot over there, sell and retire in Paris?

Love the Santa/flamingo concept, very cute Barn.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

This could become a 'true confessions' thread!

Isn't TS collecting a bad enough hobby...?????

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

I have magnets from pretty much everywhere we've visited for the past twenty years or so. Cities, amusement parks, "theme" restaurants, monuments, casinos, etc. Many of the casino ones are for places that no longer exsist. At one time they were on the fridge, but Jerry was afraid it would topple there were so many. He bought me a 8' by 4' piece of sheet metal, painted it cream color, and hung it on the wall. My magnets are placed smack dab next to each other, and I only have room for three or so more before I need a new board.

I also collect Swarovski Chrystal, and have over a hundred pieces.

I used to also collect banana stickers, but that was many years ago.

Fern

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

In 1972 I started taking matchbooks from every place I"ve eaten.
Enjoyed the eclectic nature and they reminded me of trips taken when I browsed through them years later.. Now with all the antismoking, most restaurants have no matches so the 'collection' is pretty much a bust and gets added to very infrequently.

Also saved postcards from all over the world (had a lot of penpals and we traded). Must have 10 shoeboxes of them. Now trying to figure out what to do with them and the matches.

I just read there is a flea market in Paris that trades in both these things, "paper" memorabilia. The postcards sell for a Euro and up ($1.50). Maybe I should just ship the lot over there, sell and retire in Paris?

Love the Santa/flamingo concept, very cute Barn.

Smart cookie, Irene, your collections don't take up too much space! I have a friend who used to collect matchbooks, he had them in a huge clear glass vase on the floor. I needed a match one day (over 20 years ago, I still smoked), and discovered he had cut the heads off all the matches because he was pyrophobic, I was hysterical.

I used to collect 1950s dishes and other "atomic" housewares. Then moved into the 60s/70s a bit. Finally gave it up under family duress.

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

Baseball cards, stamps, and those TY Beanie Babies !!!!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I hate to say this but I am bad and I mean real bad. If I start collecting something It get out of hand right away and then comes to a hault. The first things I recall as a child were trains and baseball Cards which we all wished still had. When we first got married we colected these hand painted cute little Pendelphins. We still have them displayed but stoped buying than god those rabbits reproduce so fast.[EBAY]http://collectibles.listings.ebay.com/Decorative-Collectible-Brands_Pendelfin_W0QQfclZ3QQfromZR11QQsacatZ13822Q QsocmdZListingItemList[/EBAY]
One time both me and my lovely wife were sick in bed watching the Home shopping networks. My wife liked the dolls that were on. Before you know it I now have over 100 dolls in the atticc now. We figured in case we had a girl we were ahead. Many know we had 1 son.

My last kick which has not stoped is Cigars and Wine. I might need a bigger house soon.

[LynnW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LynnW]

I collect logo golf balls. At first I picked them up everywhere we went but I was getting too many. Now I only buy them at courses that we play. I have two hanging racks full and a large wicker basket.

Lynn

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

Guns, knives and explosives

(and someone is sure to think I am kidding )

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Lets hope that the ATF does not have spiders.

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

Lets hope that the ATF does not have spiders.

I am on their Christmas card list

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

I don't collect timeshares. I was happy when someone else "collected" mine from me.
I do collect Christmas ornaments and teddy bears.
I will buy a watch or two if found in a weak moment also.

[vinolover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vinolover]

Christmas ornaments

We happened upon a Christmas store in New Orleans on our honeymoon 29 years ago and bought a New Orleans ornament. Ever since then we seek out Christmas stores on our travels.

The ornaments have to be "place specific" such as an Eiffel Tower from Paris, a Delft ball with a windmill on it from Amsterdam, a Cable Car from San Francisco, etc. If we can't find an ornament sometimes I buy some other little souvenir (an small Leaning Tower of Pisa or even a refrigerator magnet shaped like the Roman Coloseum) and I glue on a piece of string or tiny gold ribbon to be able to hang it from the tree.

At first we just mixed these with plain Christmas balls but now after 29 years of LOTS of travel we have nothing but travel ornaments on our nine foot tree. Every year when we decorate we take out each one and reminisce (okay we're really sappy!). But my husband and I love this tradition.

Here are two that we bought this year.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Rare late 70s punk vinyl.

I used to collect concert Ts until they started costing Over $30 a pop. DS has been wearing many of my vintage Ts.

Magnets from places we vacation.

Seashells.

an impressive amount of paper. The last time I went thru some I was throwing out cancelled checks from an account we closed 10 years prior.