It’s funny, even though I design stationery, I never send out cards/notes via traditional mail. Pretty crazy huh? I vowed last year to make an effort to do so and well, I didn’t, so I won’t set myself up a fail again by saying I will now. I’ll just sit here slightly embarrassed at myself.
Thankfully, others aren’t as lazy as me and choose pretty paper vs. email for their correspondence. What about you? Do you send out handwritten notes? Cards? If so, why? It not, why? Yah, I’m full of questions today.
I’m not talking about the typical commercial driven stuff like Holidays, but you know, the random notes just to keep in touch or say thanks. Oh, and if anyone wants to be penpals, my email can be found in the top right corner of this blog. ;)
Photo Credit: geo3pea
› trackback
It’s amazing how many people I’ve come across who’ve made this as a goal for the year. I was talking to a Twitter friend about starting a blog for the idea. Then school started and schedules got in the way. But the idea of 2010 being the Year of the Snail (mail) has lived on.
So, yes, I had made a decision to write my friends more. The idea started b/c a friend moved to CA for an internship. She’ll be out there until August and I wanted a more tangible way to stay in touch than just Facebook. I’m on board!
Becca / notrachel | February 8th, 2010:)
I send out snail mail notes on gorgeous paper, but the only person who writes me back is my mom…and see lives 10 miles away! Needless to say, I have stopped :)
Erin at Vale Design | February 8th, 2010I send out letters to my husbands grandmother, who doesn’t have internet. I am thankful that she doesn’t, because I do enjoy writing to her with a pen and paper, it just makes it feel special for some reason.
Julie | February 8th, 2010love this pic! you should make this into a postcard!
PAWLING | print studio | February 8th, 2010I write letters and cards. Sometimes handmade, sometimes letterpress, sometimes cute, other times sophisticated. It challenges me to consider more carefully what i am saying and how, and to deliver it with as much grace/cheer/class as the stationery on which i write.
Cassie | February 8th, 2010Ps. Your site is lovely, but would be far lovlier if you increased your font size.
Pps. I am in love with your gorgeous Riley, even if he chews on your rugs.
Sadly I don’t use snail mail much either. I occasionally send a note to my sister’s ex in-laws (bit random) but that’s because they are so sweet and Welsh and appreicate it because they are of a certain age.
I do need to do it more especially because I want my son to grow up writing thank you notes and letters. I don’t know who I’d write to though…
Oh and my little boy Joseph is insisting your dog Riley is a cat. Please forgive him, he is young.
Isa Maria | February 9th, 2010I send a handwritten note to a friend each month. Always a different friend and always as a surprise! I love to do it even though it is rare to get a letter back. I love writing to my grandparents too as they aren’t email savvy and don’t live close by. Nothing beats getting a surprise hand-written letter in the mail!
Amanda | February 9th, 2010I used to enjoy writing to my many penfriends back in my teens. Just recently I have started not just writing to friends (even ones living locally) but also making and/or decorating the envelopes which I post their letters in. They tell me what a lovely surprise it is to discover my colourful letters in their letterboxes. I love doing this, it’s like sending out lots of little gifts that hopefully put a smile on someone’s face and maybe even get them to look forward to checking their letterbox each day!
Debbie | February 10th, 2010sigh – i’m totally the same way! thank you cards is about the most card-writing i do…
wendy | February 11th, 2010I actually love sending out letters & cards to people. Growing up I sent letters to my grandparents. I didn't realize that it mattered to them, but when my grandmother passed away a little while ago, my aunt found that in her nightstand was every little card and letter I sent her! I'm so glad I sent them! :)
I try sending out letters and cards now, even though most times its not reciprocated because I know that it's so uplifting to recieve something beautiful in the mail! I hope I'm making someone's day better!
oh, and I'd love to be penpals if your interested! It will give me an excuse to buy more stationary (a favorite pasttime as well!)
Amanda | February 19th, 2010Oddly enough 90% of my card writing, outside of holidays and birthdays seems to be to my knitting pals. They always send thank you cards so I have taken to doing the same too. Quite why I don’t extend that courtesy to my family and other friends is a bit of a mystery. I also like to include a nice card when I sent a gift (again, mostly knitting related).
This year, for the first time, I made all of my Xmas cards, sewing fabric onto blank cards. They were pretty but I am not sure I will ever have the energy to do that again – you do 80% of it ahead of time and then end up guilting about the last 20% that never gets properly finished or gets sent out late.
I think I have this vision of who I should be – never forgetting anyone’s birthday, sending thank you cards and ‘hope you are feeling better’ cards but I don’t often live up to that reality (yes, I should take a leaf out of your book and accept my imperfections but I struggle with that too, I have an inner voice that thinks I should be some kind of Martha Stewart clone).
Amelia | February 20th, 2010