A Guide To Sending Snail Mail
Because I have had to be physically separated from my friends, classmates, and extended family members, I have been inspired to take up sending letters to stay connected and make sure people know I am thinking about them, and I wanted to share two creative ideas I have come across to make my snail mail more memorable and fun to open.
Tip #1: Decorate the envelope, too!
I, along with many other people, love receiving handwritten letters in the mail because I think it is sweet that the sender decided to spend time working on something just for me. If you decorate the envelope instead of just writing the address plain, you can make the letter meaningful and pretty. Recently, I have been painting the envelopes with simple watercolor designs like honeycomb, flowers, and fun shapes. I choose what to paint by thinking about what the recipient likes or what we have in common. For example, I made my letter for my flower girl bee-themed because we both go to Hutchison. I also like to write the recipient’s name pretty to make it stand out.
Tip #2: Include more than just the note!
Personally, I think the note on the inside is the most important part of the letter because it carries the message, the purpose, of the mail, but it is always fun to receive fun little extras to go with the letter. I like to send a few fun stickers that the recipient can put on their water bottle or a laptop. I have also sent tea bags and homemade bookmarks. I sent my flower girl two coloring pages: one I completed, and one for her to color and send back to me. You can also send memes, a sheet of icebreaker questions to answer and send back, or some printed photos. Be mindful of how heavy the envelope becomes if you add some extra items, and adjust the number of stamps accordingly.
I encourage you to take these tips into account and send some snail mail to your friends; receiving mail can make their day! Putting a little extra effort into the mail is also a great way to pass some time in quarantine. So, go send some mail! Make sure your friends know you miss them and care about them!
