Move over, DMs. We’re writing letters to the people we love instead.
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In the words of George Washington in Hamilton “pick up a pen, start writing.” Writing letters, that is. Actual, real, earnest, handwritten letters. We know how loud and true the sentiment “writing letters is a lost art,” but you can change that! More than just being able to gift your loved ones a heartfelt message, letter-writing allows us to express ourselves and our appreciation for people in a more authentic and purposeful way than just sending them a message.
In a time when everyone seemingly would rather use ChatGPT and other AI bots to write what they need written instead of actually writing it themselves, handwritten letters not only go against the norm (at least right now), but they also hit extra special. Trust us, the people you love will appreciate a letter more than you know.
So whether you’re writing a birthday greeting to a friend or confessing your love to your crush, put your pen where your mind is and get into writing your loved ones letters.
ENOUGH WITH THE SCREENS
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Digital detoxing? Perhaps a letter-writing session is in order. You don’t even have to send them out (don’t let To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before scare you out of being earnest and expressive in a letter). You can write letters that will never be seen by anyone else, or write ones to actually give out, whether in person or through mail, to really keep the practice alive.
Letter writing gives our brains a break from the screens and the keyboards, leaving us to our own devices, thoughts, and hands. It takes time, effort, and is very intentional. It clarifies within us what we truly value and how much effort we want to exert into valuing them. It helps us be more authentic with what we want to say—it’s not as easy to backspace in a letter!
“We’re in a distracted world, and relationships are taken for granted,” Callum Sharp wrote. “Letter writing helps us prioritise what actually matters in life: Who we spend it with.”
TANGIBLE MEMENTOS
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Doesn’t seeing a box of old letters, whether in a movie or in your lola’s attic, just fill you with a sense of romance and nostalgia? Now more than ever, physical media and mementos, rare as they are in forms outside of the realm of overconsumption, are important to keep and hold close.
Letters don’t even have to be on fancy stationery paper or in an envelope. A handwritten note can be appreciated with the same sentiment as several pages of stationery in a wax-sealed envelope. How many little notes, postcards, and gift tags have you kept from your loved ones? Presentation is up to you. You could add little gifts, doodles, stickers in your letters, or you could incorporate these letters into postcards, on the first blank pages of books you want to give, and more. It’s the thought and the heart behind it that matters.
IT JUST MEANS MORE
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Putting the effort into handwriting a letter, being able to add a personal touch, and physically handing or sending it to the recipient is so much more personal than sending something through chat. Unfortunately, that’s because writing letters is now a rare activity, but that also means it’s become something more special. Don’t worry about your handwriting or about making mistakes—that’s partly what gives a letter its personality. Receiving a letter of appreciation, of congratulations, or even of confession, makes people feel warm and fuzzy inside. We know we do!
Continue Reading: Being Brave Together: Why Writing to Your Future Self Matters
