Not everyone finds joy in sunsets or café-hopping weekends.

For some, happiness lives somewhere wonderfully unexpected.

In Singapore, it might be the thrill of a perfectly preserved McDonald’s tray, a shelf lined with vintage red packets, or even the intricate architecture of an ant colony.

These are the quiet collectors, the ones who chase stories, not trends.

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The Joy of the Odd

Take the guy who collects lift buttons, what began as idle curiosity became a heartfelt archive of Singapore’s vertical history. Or the McDonald’s superfan, who treasures everything from trays, to napkins,  and Happy Meal toys, not for the fast food, but for the fast feelings: nostalgia, design, and pop culture captured in plastic and paper.

Then there’s John Ye, who left the corporate grind to open Singapore’s first ant-focused hobby store. For him, ant-keeping is more than a hobby. It’s therapy, education, and a reminder that even the smallest worlds can ground us.

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Why It Matters

To outsiders, these passions might seem quirky. But talk to any collector, and you’ll find purpose. Every odd object carries a memory, a story, or a mission.

Childhood obsessions, toy buses, retro hongbao packets often evolve into deeper callings. A fascination with transportation history, or an appreciation for cultural storytelling through design.

More than that, these niche loves connect people. 

A stamp collector finds a trading partner halfway across the world. 

A watch enthusiast bonds over a discontinued Seiko. 

The world feels smaller when our passions link us together.

Celebrate the Unusual

In a world obsessed with loudness, there’s power in quiet joys. These pursuits aren’t just hobbies, they’re meditations, connections, and a kind of magic worth celebrating.

So if you’ve ever felt drawn to something obscure, this is your sign to lean in.

Frame that tray. Photograph that insect. Archive that old bus ticket.

Because sometimes, the most unexpected loves end up being the ones that define us.