September 12, 2022

Step Aside, Texting: Letter Writing Is Back

About Brookdale Senior Living

They say trends always come back in style, even decades after being forgotten. This year, an unexpected tradition has been revived: letter writing. It’s always been more intimate than texting, and there’s no other excitement that matches seeing a hand-written envelope addressed to you in the mail.

Letter writing is often romanticized in movies, and now calligraphy, stationery and postage are going viral. But let’s not forget who the experts are when it comes to putting pen to paper — some of us have been doing it for decades. The return of letter writing is an exciting way to connect with loved ones in a way that feels familiar to you while also allowing you to get creative and learn some new techniques. Here are four ways to embrace this trend once again.

Set a Unique Foundation

Great letter writing begins with eye-catching stationery. While it’s nice to have personalized stationery on hand, you can also explore more artistic options like Japanese watercolors or paper modeled after work by famous artists, which leaves your addressee guessing which style they’ll receive next. If you and your pen pal like to play games, this vintage paper set is perfect for creating a mystery by hiding clues within each letter.

Stationery also makes a great gift to give to others. Instead of flowers, provide them with a way to see their favorite hydrangeas each day without wilting, or make it more personal by choosing a set with an illustration of their pet. Gifting someone stationery that makes them excited about the prospect of writing may encourage them to pick up the tradition and anxiously await your letters each week.

Have Fun With Penmanship

A handwritten letter is already much more personal than Times New Roman, but if you want to get even more creative, there are many ways to spice up your calligraphy skills. Online tutorials range from beginner to expert, allowing you to hone your talent and add character to your writing, whether just for addressing or the entire message within.

There are also calligraphy workbooks for you to practice different types of lettering, allowing you to first trace the letters on the page. The various styles of calligraphy are perfect for themes and holidays while adding character to your penmanship.

Get Crafty With Wax

Wax seals are not only pretty to look at and exciting to tear open — they’re fun to create and likely easier to make than you’d think. Wax designed for a glue gun comes in many colors and is easy for most to use. Just place the wax stick into the glue gun, squeeze a quarter-size amount onto the envelope’s flap, then press it with a unique stamp before letting it dry.

Personalized wax seal stamps are also available in different colors, fonts and styles, allowing you to close your envelopes with any emblem of your choosing, leaving a personal mark for your pen pal to recognize immediately.

Final Stamps of Approval

Even though you only need to use a certain amount of postage to send off your letters, you can always add more to make your envelopes eye-catching and unique. While these vintage lemon stamps aren’t worth enough to ship anything when used independently, they’re perfect alongside floral forever stamps.

Instead of having to write out your return address on each envelope, choose a personalized return address stamp. It makes your envelope more sophisticated and may help save your hand from too many writing cramps. Choose from vintage styles or think outside the box with a state-inspired logo. They’re sure to add personal flare to your letters and stick out among a pile of bills and menu clippings.

Find a Penpal

Writing letters is not only a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, it’s also an impactful way to make a difference. There are various programs that need volunteers to write letters for a cause — whether it’s reaching out to children in need of a friend, thanking a veteran or active military member or corresponding with women diagnosed with breast cancer. Penpal programs even helped Brookdale residents stay in touch and make new friends during the quarantine.

Not only is letter writing an opportunity to put a much-needed smile on someone’s face, but you could also gain a friend in the process.

Take advantage of the rising popularity of letter writing by dusting off your old pens and paper and investing in some new techniques. Invite your friends and family to join and who knows? Letter writing could become your new favorite hobby!