Do you remember the last time you opened your mailbox and found an actual envelope in it? One with handwriting on the front, addressed to you or a family member? That almost never happens anymore. There’s a reason sending greeting cards is having a bit of a comeback
I remember when chain letters and pen pals were a thing. You’d receive a letter from a child in a different state, someone you’d never met and never would, and it was exciting all the same. The fact that it existed and was yours and no one else’s was what made it so great. My grandmother would send me cards, each one containing a single stick of gum. Now, more than 40 years later, I can still remember those cards.
During my freshman year of college, I dated a guy who went to another school in our state. Phone calls were expensive back then, and we only actually talked once or twice a week. So in between, we wrote to each other. Actual letters. I have no idea what happened to most of them, but I remember the waiting more than anything — checking the mailbox, recognizing the handwriting before I even got close enough to read the return address.
These days, we either communicate by text messages, email, or not at all. A text message is read and then forgotten. A letter, on the other hand, isn’t. You can place it on a counter or a windowsill, stick it on the fridge, or put it in a box and then, when you’re searching for something else two years later, suddenly remember exactly where you were on the day you received it.
I have always had a passion for writing; when I was in middle school, I kept a journal filled with poetry. I’m sure that my mother got rid of it at some point, and it still hurts a bit whenever I think about it for a long time. There was a time when I put together a family newspaper. I studied AP English in high school and later on decided to make writing and design my major in college. Perhaps that makes me someone who isn’t entirely objective about whether handwritten notes are important. I’ve been working with paper and words ever since I was twelve years old.
Writing by hand is different from texting because it makes you think carefully about what you really want to say, rather than typing the first thing that comes into your head. Usually, the first thing that comes to mind is something like “lol same” or a variation of that.
Then, when should you send letters or greeting cards? You should recognize birthdays and holidays, of course. But the best letters are sent just because. For instance, if you don’t know what to say to a friend who is going through a difficult time, write a letter. Or when someone reaches a milestone, and you want them to know that you’ve noticed. Another example might be to thank a neighbor for looking after your dog for a weekend.
Tips for sending greeting cards
When sending greeting cards, here are some ways to make sure what you write is good:
Avoid making it about yourself and start with something about them. For example, mention something they said, an inside joke, or the memory that caused you to think of them initially. Don’t just say “hey, I just wanted to write.”
Short is fine, and specific beats vague every time. “Thanks for driving two hours to help me move that couch when your back was already killing you” is the type of sentiment that people hang on to.
Don’t worry about the ending. All you need to say is “Thinking of you” and “Can’t wait to catch up”. You don’t need a closing paragraph because this isn’t a cover letter.
The card matters more than people think, too. I have this weirdly specific memory from being a teenager, watching SNL of all things, and getting up afterward to draw a scene of a family in a covered wagon. I have no idea where that came from, it just wanted out of my head and onto paper. That’s kind of what sending greeting cards do for someone else. Hand a person a card with a little camper van on it or a mountain skyline, and they know, instantly, that you picked it for them, not just grabbed whatever was closest to the register at CVS.
To be honest, the only thing that prevents me from sending greeting cards is the inconvenience. I never have a card to hand when the opportunity arises, and by the time I remember, the opportunity has already gone. Now I’ve got a small basket next to my desk. It contains cards, stamps, and a pen that actually writes. When the card is just there, you end up finding all sorts of reasons to send it.
Which is actually part of why I just launched a small line of greeting cards in my shop — camping and nature themes, because that’s what I know and love. If you’ve been meaning to send someone a card and just haven’t had one on hand, check them out here and keep a few in your own basket by the door. You could even pair with one of our gift ideas for outdoor lovers.
