Hobbyists by Definition

At haveahobby.co.uk, we recognize the fact that many people love to collect toys, but we also understand the idea of a hobby. Many people do not know exactly what a hobby is, so we wanted to clarify what makes an activity a hobby.


Technically, a hobby is a regular activity that people do for fun. Hobbies are usually done when people are not at work, but are enjoying their leisure time. Hobbies can include collecting, but there are many other hobbies that collectors are unaware actually exist. In today’s world, hobbies often include artistic activities, athletics, and crafting, too.


The idea behind a hobby is that the activity is done for fun. Amateurs (hobbyists) do not get any compensation for what they do. On the other hand, professionals do get paid for their activities. So, a person who collects toys for the simple joy of collecting is a hobbyist, but a collector who sells the items to make money, technically would not be an amateur, but a professional. The amateur might know just as much about the professional, but the amateur is not in the market to make money off of the collection.


The word “hobby” comes from the 1200s, when the word signified a small pony. In the mid-1500s, the word “hobbyhorse” was given to a little wooden horse that was used as an tool for religious and civic events. Eventually the word hobby was removed from the hobbyhorse and evolved to describe fun and leisurely activities. The hobbyhorse today is a toy horse that children use, so the term hobby often has to do with child-like activities.


Now, the word hobby is a common term used in First World countries so that people have something to fill their time. In some of those nations, hobbyist are often known as geeks, especially if they have a hobby that the majority of people consider dull.


Hobbies fit into several categories. One of the most popular hobbies is collecting. If you are visiting Havahobby, you most likely collect toys and really enjoy it! However, there are several other collectible items that people enjoy like stamp collecting, trainspotting, birdwatching, and coin collecting.


Another popular hobby categories is the outdoor type. Some of the outdoor hobbies can be conducted at home and include activities like gardening and outdoor photography. These are rather calm hobbies when compared to other outdoor hobbies, like kayaking, hiking, fishing, shooting, and skiing. These are all activities that are in the professional athletics realm, but there are many more people who enjoy them at the amateur level. Outdoor hobbies can be rather expensive because of the all of the gear and safety gear that is needed.


Some of the other hobbies are easy to do at home. They include activities like cooking, reading, scrapbooking, and performing arts. There are also people who collect toys like RC cars, train sets, and miniature soldiers. These toy collectors are more interested in creating dioramas and realistic battle scenes than collecting the toys for the memories.


The best aspect of having a hobby is that you can do as many as you want. Hobbies are supposed to make you happy and they should be very fun!