Anyone who has read this blog for any considerable amount of time has probably gathered that David and I go to Disney World quite a bit. Its a rather large part of our lives, and we don’t see that changing. There’s this phenomenon that happens when at a Disney Park that I can’t quite explain though — things you would never consider buying in the real world, suddenly look unbelievably appealing. You start thinking it would be a great idea to replace all your current kitchenware with Mickey Mouse pots and pans. But here’s the thing, it’s not a good idea, and if you spend all your money on Disney t-shirts when you normally only shop at Macy’s — you will regret it. But still, the siren call of the Disney gift shop is strong and persuasive, and it is almost impossible to not purchase something while on a WDW vacation.
So a few years ago, David and I decided to build collections of individuals items. A lot of people collect pins and pressed pennies, but we wanted to do something that we could use in our every day lives. We settled on coffee cups and christmas ornaments, because the holidays and caffeine are two of the things that we are most passionate about. Every trip we take, we buy one or the other, and have built up quite the impressive collection of both. And the best part is, they all get used; there’s no reject memento that cost us $40 stuffed in a closet somewhere. I would encourage those of you that make trips to Disney as part of your normal life (and we think you should!) to buy things you can actually use. Just remember, Mickey Mouse ice molds might seem like a great theory, but are you going to use them? For those that frequent the Disney Parks, there are plenty of things to build a collection out of, so find what suits you, and start building!