Hobbies in the USSR

In the USSR, people had many different hobbies.

Collecting

One of the most common hobbies is collecting. People collected coins, stamps, banknotes, badges, matchboxes, and various items from Soviet everyday life, such as porcelain dishes or decorative watches. Collecting became especially popular in the 1960s and continued to develop in the following decades.

Coins were one of the most popular collectibles in the USSR. The State Collections Archive supported the exchange of coins between collectors. A special magazine, “Coins”, was created, where articles about new coins and collectibles were published.

Collecting postage stamps was also very popular in the USSR. In the 1960s and 1970s, special stamp albums were published and sold in shops and post offices.

Postcards were another popular collectible, sold not only at post offices but also at newsstands and gift shops.

At the same time, there were also more niche types of collecting, such as collecting Soviet commemorative badges, military medals, emblems and signs.

In addition, there were collective collections, for example, collections in museums and universities, collections of party organizations.

Collecting in the USSR had its own specifics, connected with the ideological and cultural features of that time. Some items, such as images of religious symbols or coins issued during the period of autocracy, were prohibited from being collected. There were also restrictions on the export of collectibles abroad.

Fishing and hunting

Fishing and hunting were popular forms of active recreation in the USSR. Fishing was considered one of the most accessible forms of recreation for people with different income levels, while hunting was more recognized as a hobby for people with average and high incomes.

The USSR had a well-developed infrastructure for fishing, as fishing was also an important source of food for the population. Fishing bases and large fishing farms were organized along the sea and river banks, and there were also special ponds for growing fish.

As for hunting, people in the USSR could hunt various animals, such as wild boars, foxes, bears, hares, roe deer and other species, although hunting for some animals was only allowed in specially designated areas and for a certain number of animals.

In order to engage in hunting, it was necessary to obtain a special license; regulation of animal numbers had a negative impact on the tourist potential of many regions of the Union; some animals became quite rare, which ultimately led to a ban on hunting them.

Overall, fishing and hunting in the USSR were attractive forms of recreation that allowed people to enjoy nature and get pleasure from developing strategies and hunting actions.

Gardening and horticulture

Gardening and horticulture in the USSR were of fundamental importance to the people due to the nutritional value of vegetables and fruits, as well as an additional source of income for families.

The first organizations of gardeners and horticulturists appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, but these types of activities really developed during the Soviet era. Vegetable gardens and orchards became purposeful and were one of the main instruments for economic recovery after the devastating Civil War.

Within the USSR, huge collective farms were created where they grew vegetables and fruits for sale, as well as private vegetable gardens and home gardening plots where people could grow their own food for personal use.

Gardening and horticulture were recognized as important tools in the fight against hunger, which became a problem during and after the Great Patriotic War. This led to the widespread distribution of specialized literary publications on gardening and horticulture throughout the country, as well as special courses on teaching the correct methods of growing vegetables and fruits.

Much attention in the USSR was paid to the preservation and improvement of plant varieties and the development of new species. Special research institutes were created, where they were engaged in the selection and improvement of plant crops with the aim of increasing their yield and quality.

In general, gardening and horticulture in the USSR were one of the key forms of activity of the population, which sought not only to improve its economic indicators, but also to provide itself with high-quality and healthy food.

Sport

In the USSR, physical education was one of the main priority areas of education and development of the younger generation. It covered not only a healthy lifestyle and the education of a healthy body, but also knowledge of the rules of sports competitions, physical and mental training, the ability to work in a team and achieve results.

One of the most popular sports hobbies in the USSR was football. A large number of people played football in their free time, and the most talented players could reach the professional level. In addition, volleyball, basketball, hockey, skiing and many other sports were developed in the USSR. The main idea was that sports activities help maintain health, stimulate spiritual and physical development of a person.

Combat sports were also developed in the USSR, especially in Moscow and other large cities. Boxing, kickboxing, sambo, judo, karate (some combat sports, including karate, were banned at times) and many other disciplines were very popular as sports hobbies.

Thus, physical and sports hobbies in the USSR were an important part of people’s lives. They helped to maintain health, communicate with friends and overcome personal obstacles.

Needlework

In the USSR, handicrafts were a very popular hobby, which was practiced by women and teenagers. Handicrafts were associated not only with the production of things for everyday use, but also with art and spiritual development of the individual.

One of the most popular types of handicrafts was knitting. Women could knit a variety of things for their families, such as socks, hats, sweaters, and even blankets. Knitting was taught in schools, work collectives, and handicraft clubs. In addition, special magazines dedicated to handicrafts were created, in which various models and descriptions of knitting techniques were published.

Embroidery and crochet were also actively practiced in the USSR. These types of handicrafts were considered more labor-intensive and demanding in terms of skill, so they were usually done by more experienced needlewomen. Embroidery was often used to decorate clothing and home textiles. Crochet was used to knit a variety of things, such as tablecloths, napkins, blankets, etc.

Paper cutting, clay modeling, making kitchen utensils and various vases were also popular in the USSR. Schools and cultural centers held master classes on these types of handicrafts.

Handicrafts in the USSR not only decorated homes and were a wonderful creative hobby, but also played an important role in the economic life of the country. For example, many enterprises were engaged in the production of finished products from wool, paper, clay, etc.

Over time, interest in handicrafts did not fade, but on the contrary, continued to grow. Today, handicrafts in Russia and other countries have not lost their popularity.

Thus, hobbies in the USSR were so diverse that everyone could choose what they liked and what brought them pleasure.