People Break Down Which Once Popular Hobbies Are Now Dying Out

Before we've become conditioned to living on our phones, these activities used to keep people occupied.

Before Texting, There Was This

"Letter writing."

– littlekingMT

Literal And Tangible Joy

"Well the internet killed pen pals for sure. I do remember I had a Japanese girl for a penpal maybe back in 2007 or so. I honestly don't remember how it started, pretty sure some website, but that was a fun experience. But now I can just straight up talk to foreign people real time, lol. But yea getting a physical letter that someone took the time to write and mail still is hard to beat feelings wise."

– skyburnsred

Model Trains

"When I was growing up, every town had a model train store in it. Now I have one in region and everything else has to be bought online."

– Hairy_Effective1172

It Ran Out Of Steam

"My grandpa used to make model trains from scratch with decals and everything, been doing it for probably 30 years. We recently opened a hobby shop with some of his models on display and people are always fascinated by them. There's also a few model train clubs in the area and they've been excited about a shop opening up to get stuff."

– AshesandCinder

Pretty Rocks

"Don’t see anyone playing marbles anymore, I had an awesome collection in school."

– sheeple85

"I had some marbles as a kid in the 90s. My grandma got them for me and I had no idea what I was supposed to do with them. I always imagined them as a thing kids in the 40s played with."

– Ryoukugan

Human Canvases

"Paintball has been dying a slow death since 2006. Sad, really."

– hobo_recycler

How Tuneful

"Organ playing. Such an underrated instrument."

– Daaemong

Before the general population began hating clutter, collecting was once a "thing."

Precious Coins

"Coin collecting... I'm a silver/gold nut and I'm always hunting for precious metal coins. whenever I go into a shop they get all excited because 'no one under 70 collects coins anymore.'"

– ThatFishySmell99

A Good Deed

"I was given a jar of coins when I was about 18 from an old bloke. He couldn't afford to pay my boss for the job (upgrading his TV reception so he had a outlet in the bedroom for his bedridden wife to watch shows) so I went back over the weekend to do it free as I felt guilty my boss wanted to overcharge them took me 3 hours from my day and about $30 worth of cable etc (quoted something like $200) and as I was leaving he gave it to me as a thank you. mostly British coins and I think one is worth like $10 now​."

– Haunting-You7898

Post It

"Stamp collecting."

– spooky_scully_mulder

"Collecting in general, really. Of course there are still prominent collectors but it's slipped more into enthusiast and niche territory than being a popular hobby that you might expect anyone to have."

– iuytrefdgh436yujhe2

Novelty Messaging

"At the beginning of the year I got a box of 100 postcards and a book of stamps. Any time anything good happens to my friends I pop a postcard in the mail to let them know I’m happy for them. It’s the best!"

"I know it’s not quite letter writing, but inspired by it!"

– AudreyLocke

What A Gem

"Rockhounding was immensely popular back in the 1950's and 1960's. Personally, I think it's a fascinating and fulfilling hobby, but when I go to a meeting at a rock and gem club, I'm usually the youngest one in the room by several decades."

– filthy_lucre

People once enjoyed making things.

Admiring The View

"Stained glass. I learned how to make it from my old man, and my junior high art class teacher also taught it. Very few artisans are still around."

– brobeanzhitler

Metal Vocation

"Black smithing."

– kenworth117

"I bought a forge to try. It’s insanely hard work, and crazy expensive. I still haven’t finished a piece."

– DSentvalue

Scrapbooking

"Yeah. I'm watching the arts and crafts stores around me completely uninstalling their racks for specialty paper. Now the only thing they have is mega packs of repeating colors/images. To boot all the inclusions like papercraft/die-cut things, washi tape, scissors, stickers, etc have gotten so expensive I would rather go buy $5 bags at value village to get an assortment of things versus buying anything new. I really, really miss yard sales for the same reasons."

– Phantasmai

Perpetually Lost At Sea

"Building miniature models of ships inside bottles."

– dee615

I envy people who have jobs that are basically their hobbies.

Not everyone gets paid doing what they actually enjoy and have a profound level of passion for.

If they do, kudos to them.