I’ve always loved receiving personal letters in the mail. I suppose many of us do. As a mother of grown children, I had started to believe that younger adults and children had embraced texting and communicating via social media, and they no longer had use for snail mail. I was wrong.

With the isolation brought on by the pandemic, there’s been a boom in snail mail. Pen pals are as popular as they ever were, if not more so. Some popular hashtags for the pen pal movement are #snailmailing #penpalsearch #snailmaillove #penpaling #snailmailrevolution #penpalswanted, #bringbackpaper, and #outgoingmail. The pen pal movement seems driven by teens and young women, but hashtags such as #penpals over 30, #penpalsover40, and #penpalsover50 prove the craze is not just among the youth.

Try Happy Mail

Sending happy mail is a closely related trend. To check it out, search the term “happymail” on Pinterest, or check out these hashtags on Instagram: #happymailideas #happymailswap #happymail #happymailday

Devoting time to decorate (and even create) envelopes brings happiness to others. The sender puts in effort so that the recipient is excited to receive their mail. Happy mail is not a bill and it’s not junk. It’s a letter from a friend who has spent time and a bit of money to bring cheer to your day.

I love seeing photos on social media of the beautifully decorated envelopes, but I’m not very good at that sort of thing. Then I read an article written a while back entitled “Envelope Art for the Unartistic.” That’s me. My envelopes won’t be gorgeous like many I’ve seen, but I’m excited to participate anyway.

 

 

Many small businesses, like Etsy shops, have popped up to sell stickers, rubber stamps, and vintage postage stamps for snail mail fans. I’ve given into the trend. This week I purchased stickers and started using them on the front of envelopes. I also bought vintage postage stamps from a few different sellers on Etsy. Then, I drove to Hobby Lobby to buy a container to store my stickers and stamps. What fun.

 

Another wonderful, related trend is tucking in gifts along with your letter (the gifts must comply with USPS rules— being under ¼” thick, for instance). If you enjoy giving gifts as I do, you’ll love this trend. See the list below for some fun ideas.

Seven Tips to Liven your Snail Mail and Bring Delight to the Recipient

1. Draw pictures or add stickers to the front and/or back of the envelope
2. Try creating your own envelope.
3. Address your snail mail using calligraphy or special lettering.
4. Use colored markers, colored gel pens, and/or washi tape
5. Purchase attractive postage stamps. Consider floral stamps or art stamps. Or focus on a single color using vintage stamps. Some sellers on Etsy even sell vintage postal stamps packaged by color.

6.  Give something of yourself when you write. Tell about your day, your thoughts, your dreams. Go deeper than the “How are you? and I am fine” letters of your youth. Ask questions.

7. Include a small gift or gifts along with your handwritten letter. Here are some ideas:

• Tea bags or hot cocoa packets
• Poem
• Greeting card
• Flat candy like Airheads
• Article
• Stick of gum
• Small book
• Coin of interest
• Gift card
• Photo
• Postcard or art card

 

Choosing Recipients

Who would appreciate receiving happy mail from you? Here are a few thoughts:

• A relative
• A widow in your life
• A friend
• Someone you’d like to thank
• An assisted living resident
• A classmate
• An online friend
• A colleague
• A missionary
• A current or former neighbor
• A pen pal

Who came to mind when you read the list? That might be a good place to start.

Happy Writing!

Lori Lipsky