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Making Time for Your Collection

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If there is a time of year when time is in short supply, it’s during the month of December.  Mail holidays, school closures, crowded stores, inclement weather, and end of the year deadlines all work against any prospects of having some quiet time with your stamp collection.  But you can make time if you pencil yourself into your hectic December schedule.

A close friend once told me that the key to making time is making memories.  In this way you can give yourself a much needed break during the here and now but also when you fondly recall those peaceful moments in the future.  Give yourself some mental room by starting small.  And if it takes too long to drag your entire collection out of hiding, try learning more about the stamps in your collection with philatelic literature or references.  This will help against becoming frustrated by interruptions.

Even if you can only allow yourself 20 minutes per day, it will be well worth the effort.  Let the stress and deadlines wait for you for a change.  Likely when you return to the hustle and bustle, you’ll be a bit more refreshed.  You may even be more prepared to handle it all.  Whatever you do, give yourself and your stamp collection the time you both deserve.  A hobby can’t be rewarding if you don’t engage in it.  Enjoy the quiet excitement of stamp collecting.

Collecting Stamps and Memories for the Holidays

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“Every passion borders on the chaotic, but the collector’s passion borders on the chaos of memories.”
– Walter Benjamin

The Holidays!  Many will play host to family and friends this holiday season.  And many of the invited will be children.  Above the cacophony of video game consoles and mobile devices, you might hear the distant sounds of memory of calmer, quieter times.  That’s when the background noise consisted of things like water boiling on the stove, toy train tracks being driven upon, and perhaps even the faint ringing of holiday music.  One might think that spending some quality time with one’s stamp collection would have to wait until some time early next year.  But make no mistake.  Collecting Stamps can be a family hobby and even become a tradition.

Here are some thoughts to consider if you plan to bring your collection out before children this holiday season:

Don’t be afraid to work with your collection in front of others

– Eventually curious minds will want to know what you’re so interested in.  And a curious mind is one that can be shaped, molded, and filled with quality thoughts and ideas.

Don’t be afraid to answer questions

– Often children don’t appear to be listening when they are actually absorbing detail.  At the very least, they may recall in years to come that fascinating hobby by which they saw you being quietly entertained.

Don’t be afraid to teach respect for collectible stamps

– As a child, did you find things you could not touch to be fascinating?

Don’t allow yourself to become frustrated

– Not every child will grow to appreciate collecting stamps as you do.  But they will very likely develop an appreciation and respect for meaningful hobbies if you nurture those traits.

Draw parallels between video games and stamp collecting

– Ask if they have to collect anything in their favorite games.  A player progresses in many popular modern video games by collecting artifacts, weaponry, gems, and characters.

Above all, enjoy the time together, however brief

– If you find yourself recalling your time together fondly, likely they will do the same!