Published October 08, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

We’ve previously explored emotional triggers—how the hardest purchases to resist are often the ones fueled by feelings—stress, boredom, loneliness, even celebration. Those emotional spikes open the door to impulsive spending. But alongside emotional triggers, there’s another force collectors need to watch out for: seasonal triggers.

In gambling addiction, seasonal triggers are some of the most dangerous. Holidays, major sporting events, even paydays—these dates aren’t random, they’re engineered opportunities. Casinos and sportsbooks flood them with promotions, “free play”, and bonus offers because they know our defenses are down when emotion and seasonality collide.

The hobby has its own versions of these seasonal triggers, and they’re just as powerful. Unlike emotional triggers, these aren’t surprises—they’re predictable cycles. And predictability gives us both a risk and an opportunity.

The cycles that drive excitement can just as easily drive compulsion.

Take The National, Fanatics Fest, and other big shows. They’re the Super Bowl of collecting, where FOMO takes center stage. The sheer energy and scale make overspending feel normal, even if you walked in with a budget.

Or holiday sales like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas. Just as casinos push offers in December, the hobby floods us with “doorbuster deals”, “limited drops”, and can’t-miss online offers. Pair that with family asking what you’ve been buying, and suddenly ripping more feels justified.

The sports calendar is another trigger. NFL kickoff, Super Bowl weekend, March Madness, the World Series, NBA/NHL playoffs, The Olympics, The World Cup—all moments when the market spikes, manufacturers release “special” or "limited edition" products, breakers run themed promotions, and the crowd energy convinces you it’s the perfect time to spend. And right now, we’re in the thick of it: MLB playoffs, NBA tipoff right around the corner, NFL and college football seasons already underway. The noise is deafening, and the pressure to act can feel overwhelming.

When the game heats up, so does the temptation to chase.

Even new product releases play into seasonal triggers. Flagship sets like Topps Chrome, Prizm, or National Treasures aren’t just launches—they’re rituals. Collectors tell themselves “just one box”, but tolerance creeps in quickly, and “just one” becomes three, then five, then multiple cases.

And of course, there are personal financial cycles—paydays, tax refunds, bonuses, even birthdays. That sense of “extra money” becomes permission to ignore limits, and many collectors watch holiday cash or refunds vanish into unnecessary, unplanned purchases before they realize it.

The point isn’t that these seasons are inherently bad. The point is that they’re predictable. And what’s predictable can be prepared for. By naming seasonal triggers before they arrive, we give ourselves space to pause, budget, or even sit one out. The same way we’ve learned to name emotional triggers, we can interrupt seasonal ones—replacing impulse with intention.

The hobby will always have its “big moments”. But the strongest collections aren’t built in seasons of hype—they’re built in seasons of clarity. And clarity starts with knowing when the calendar itself is trying to pull you in.

#CollectorsMD
When we connect the dots between emotions, seasons, and spending—we reclaim the choice to collect with clarity, not compulsion.

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