Getting Back to Old-Fashioned, Handwritten Communication
We just celebrated Valentine’s Day a few days ago. My daughter went to school with over 30 notes and candies to exchange with her classmates, and our table was covered with chocolates and cards that we exchanged that morning. As someone who doesn’t like her own handwriting, it might be surprising to learn that I’m a bit of a stationary junkie. Ever since I was a little girl I have enjoyed using pretty notepads, note cards, and greeting cards.
But, I find that the more social and digital media options we’re given, the more we are moving away from paper communication. This is sad for me for a few reasons. First, we are such a mobile society now. I am living hundreds of miles away from my home town, and I’m not the only one. Whereas families used to stay in the same area for generations, people are more scattered now. Second, I know a lot of people whose social lives are pretty much virtual. They don’t really know people personally and allow others to think their online personas are who they truly are. Finally, I want my kids to grow up with meaningful relationships, and that for me means using more personal forms of communication to foster those relationships. So, this Valentine’s Day, I got curious and started checking on the internet to see if I’m part of some dying breed of card writers, and what I learned surprised me.
A new generation of card senders
It seems that a generation known for its digital fluency is actually driving paper card sales. For several years in a row, Millenials have been credited with stabilizing the greeting card market. (Just Google millenals and card sales like I did here). Who woulda thunk? I personally think that’s amazing, considering that as I’m raising my own kids, I have found that schools are putting more emphasis on typing words into a computer than learning cursive or writing with actual pens on actual paper.
Now, unlike the Millenials, I’m a traditional Hallmark card fan. I have a store less than a 5-minute drive from my house, and I am a faithful customer, shopping there for nearly every occasion and stocking up to make sure my supplies are never low. One of the most fun tasks that Emily Ley included in her 30-day challenge, which I did in December (see post here), was to stock up on extra cards to keep on hand. I was pretty stoked. An excuse to go to Hallmark and buy cards? Count me in! I got thank you notes, a couple of generic birthday cards, and some to send out for someone who could use some cheering up.
So, why write cards?
We do have other forms of communication these days that are more convenient and, let’s face it, cheaper than sending greeting cards. In fact, there are e-cards, and social media sites like FaceBook will not only remind you about someone’s birthday but give you a few card-like backgrounds where you can quickly write and post your birthday message. But, for me, there’s something about writing a card that makes it seem like a more meaningful event. Moreover, I find that the more people I try to “keep in touch with” over social media, the less I actually communicate with them. Letter writing has some positives that can make our communications a little more personal and meaningful.
Some reasons card-writing is a worthy exercise in today’s digital age:
- Writing is a thoughtful exercise. I don’t mean that spending money on a card makes you a more thoughtful person. In fact, I don’t think you need to buy a card at all. A piece of paper with your own words is all you need. Instead, what I mean is that when you hand write correspondence you have to think a little more before you write since you won’t have a delete button or other document editing features as you write in a card. You also have limited space, so you will need to take a little time to make sure that you are using that space to include just the right words.
- You can personalize your message. Whether you are making your own card, writing on a piece of note paper, or sending a greeting card, you will be choosing the medium for sending this message. This process usually results in creating something that is uniquely from the sender and tailored to the recipient. As such, personalizing a card or letter can be a very meaningful way to communicate with someone.
- You are creating welcome mail. As much as we are trying to become a paperless society, we still receive a ton of paperwork in the mail. And, the majority of that mail is either bills or junk mail. There is nothing nicer than going through the mail and seeing a brightly-colored envelope, a pretty stamp, and the name of someone you know who has clearly thought about you in some way.
Favorite stationary and greeting card supplies
Not surprisingly, I also enjoy writing cards and letters because it allows me a little creativity and some fun shopping. There is no need to get super fancy or take hours to make cards or letters. Just a little careful handwriting with some colorful pens or markers can make the experience more pleasurable for you and more well-received by the person you’re writing. Here are some of my absolute favorite supplies:
-First, if you are going to get cards on sale or buy a few to have on hand for a later date, it really helps to have a card organizer. I got mine from Hallmark years ago, and they no longer make it. However, there are plenty on the market. I recommend one that has pockets for the cards as well as a place to jot down birthdays and anniversaries like this one:
– For cards with glossy paper, I find Sharpie fine-point markers are the way to go. They won’t bleed through the paper (like they do on standard cards), and the ink will not smudge since it’s permanent. I miss the retractable ones they used to sell, but with this many color options, it’s easy to see why these are so popular:
-I’ve said it in previous posts, and I’ll say it again, Papermate Flair Pens are such a fun and colorful pen option! They have a zillion colors. I’ve gotten several sets, but this one seems to have the most color bang for your buck:
-For small cards that require a truly fine-tipped pen, I go with Le Pens from Marvy. They are so slim and petite to hold, but they write smoothly and have a lot of fun color options! This is a decent range of classic colors:
-I started learning how to hand-letter a few years ago, and I mostly try it on envelopes. The best pens for brush letter that I’ve found are the gold-standard Tombow brush pens. They’re a bit expensive, but the ink is deeply pigmented, and you can blend colors! Here are the classic colors:
-If you are new to hand-lettering and want a pen that is easier to control than a Tombow brush pen, the Pentel Arts Sign Pen set is a must have! They come in sets of multiple colors and are perfect for beginners. This set here has all the standard colors for those who are just trying hand-lettering:
-I cannot write in a straight line, and because of that, you can tell when I’ve written an address in free hand. My solution for that has been to use an envelope stencil. I just use a faint pencil to trace a line that can be erased after the ink I used to write out the name and address have dried. This is a popular set:
-Also, it doesn’t hurt to use pretty seals for the back of your envelopes. Hallmark gives out complementary gold seals, but my daughter loves using stickers like these, which are perfect for Valentine’s Day:
– Finally, if you want to get truly fancy with the envelope seals, go with a wax sealing kit. They come in all sorts of designs and colors. Here is a standard one that comes in different letter initials:
Giving and receiving mail is kind of an old-fashioned but such a lovely way to keep in touch with loved ones and let them know you are thinking about them. These supplies make card-writing all that much more enjoyable. Are there any card-writing supplies that you enjoy? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts!
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