What Do You Collect?
Do you find yourself collecting different items throughout life? When you travel? Click here to find out what 3 items I like to collect!
Do you find yourself collecting different items throughout life? When you travel? Click here to find out what 3 items I like to collect!
Almost everyone I know collects something in their life, a lot of which end of being certain souvenirs from when they travel. I personally keep adding to my items I like to collect when I travel, which sometimes bites me since that means I'm spending more and more everywhere I go.
Ever since I was young, my family collected a magnet from each location we traveled to. My parent's house has a refrigerator that has a bunch of magnets on it since we traveled quite often (see below). So naturally, I carried on this tradition in my own home with Joe. Of course our collection is smaller than my family's, but it is growing quite fast!
As magnets are a quite popular collection piece, my souvenirs don't stop there. In recent years, I discovered the cutest mini mugs at my local Starbucks! The mug had "Ohio" written on it, and I just had to have it. Well, fast forward just a bit and next thing I know, I am finding these little mugs everywhere I go! They are a bit tricky to find however, since they are only sold at Starbucks. I learned very quickly that at a lot of Starbucks they will be sold out. The trick is hitting the Target or airport Starbucks to try and snag one! I've had on and off success with finding these, but I definitely check everywhere I go! This year I used them as ornaments, and they looked great, but I'd love to think of a way to display them year round!
There are a variety of different mugs from different collections and years, as the designs change each year. I have mugs from both the "You are Here" collection and the "Been There Series". Take a peek!
I have fought really hard to find so many of these like you wouldn't believe. Sometimes I will make 4-5 stops to different Starbucks just looking for these (sorry whoever I'm with)! I (literally) almost missed my plane from Oahu back to Maui because I ran to the complete opposite side of the airport to get that Waikiki one. I have never ever ever been so late to a plane before. I was the very last person to get on - yikes! I was also a little bummed that I couldn't find the mug at all when I was in Boston. A lot of times, you'll see the larger/full size version of these mugs, but it's finding the mini ones that is tough.
Another item we like to collect when traveling is ornaments. As I mentioned, I use the Starbucks mini mugs as ornaments, so I guess there's some crossover. This is another one that came from my childhood though, and is the one item I tend to forget to pick up at some locations. I try to pick up an ornament everywhere we go, but I won't be upset if I forget one. Joe and I do love to decorate our tree every year, and it brings joy to us both when we look at all of our ornaments and reminisce on all the memories.
Collecting these items for me has become a special part of my life and adds just a little more fun to my travels. I love thinking about how many magnets and ornaments (and hopefully mugs if they keep making them) I will have in 5, 10, or 30 years! I hope that once Joe and I start our family, our kids too will find joy in the little things such as these. I can't wait to tell them the stories behind each!
What do you collect?