As many of you already know, one of my favourite hobbies is building LEGO models. I’ve talked about it before, but today I’ll share a few more facts about this hobby and the LEGO company. 

• The name ‘LEGO’ is an abbreviation of the two Danish words “leg godt”, meaning “play well”. The LEGO Group was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen. The company has passed from father to son and is now owned by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, a grandchild of the founder. The company originally produced wooden toys, but the plastic LEGO brick was patented in 1958. Amazingly, the design is still exactly the same today! 
• LEGO works with a wide range of partners to produce licensed sets ranging from Harry Potter, Marvel, and Star Wars to cars of every type to TV shows like Friends and even music groups like BTS. Personally, I’m a fan of the architecture series and the seasonal sets (which are nice to build and display during holidays like Halloween and Christmas).
• Since the beginning of the pandemic, LEGO sales have skyrocketed. Adults and kids alike spent more time at home over the past three years and turned to LEGO for fun, mindfulness, nostalgia, and to destress. LEGO has responded by producing more sets targeted at adult collectors, which has been very successful so far!
• LEGO, like many hobbies, has its own unique vocabulary, such as words for the different types of pieces (e.g. brick, tile, plate, stud, etc.) as well as acronyms, such as MOC (my own creation) and AFOL (adult fan of LEGO), for the fans and the things they build.
• Many MOCs (fan-designed sets) have been made into real LEGO sets over the years through the LEGO Ideas program. Fans can submit their designs, and if those designs get enough support from other fans, there is a chance that they will be made into official LEGO sets. This is a dream that inspires many builders.
• LEGO has a huge secondary market where fans and resellers buy and sell retired LEGO sets, which can be quite valuable! Some LEGO sets are incredible investments that provide a better return than most stocks. Of course, it takes a lot of work to resell LEGO, and this side hustle has become popular in recent years, so it’s not just “easy money”!

The LEGO group has been very successful in producing a single product that is a toy, a collector’s item, a hobby, and a great investment, all at the same time, and this has allowed it to become one of the biggest and most profitable toy companies in the world. Their product is high-quality and fun, and their customer service is great. This is why I’m a fan of LEGO and why it’s one of my favourite hobbies!