letter writing Archives - Social Correspondence

The Last Letter Writers

For years I promoted the joys of letter writing in my Social Correspondence posts, but often I felt like one of the last letter writers in the world. By letters, I mean the kind written on paper, stamped with the appropriate stamp, and sent to the recipient via U.S. Mail. Today, the concept of letter writing is not merely old-fashioned, but on the cusp of becoming extinct. Handwriting is no longer taught in most schools. Children who receive handwritten cards or letters in the mail struggle to read them. E-mail might be used for quick communications,…

0 Comments

September 17, 2024

2023 / books / email / Handwriting / junk mail / Letter writing / Mail / Post cards / Post Office / Social Media / U.S. Postal Service

It’s That Time of Year

The catalogs have been arriving in the mail for months, because it’s that time of year. The solicitations for charitable and political donations come in multiples every day, and even a few early holiday cards, letters, and invitations are trickling in. The holiday season is upon us! The best holiday mail, of course, is personal: the letters and cards that keep us in touch with family and friends, near and far. I treasure these communications, and have trouble recycling them, even years after receipt. The typical holiday letter has evolved over time. These days, few people…

0 Comments

December 4, 2023

2023 / Letter writing

The Art of the Condolence Message

While a simple card or handwritten note is a meaningful way to express sympathy on the loss of a loved one, the art of the condolence message comes in many forms. People send flowers, prepare food for the bereaved, attend memorials and funerals, make donations to charity. Bereavement and loss can come suddenly and unexpectedly, as it did for me last year (2022) when I lost my husband of over 52 years. Condolence messages came in all of the above forms. Friends and neighbors brought meals, flowers, honey, and plants, made donations. During Murray's brief illness,…

0 Comments

August 12, 2023

2023 / books / email / Handwriting / junk mail / Letter writing / Mail / Pandemic / Post cards / Postal Service / U.S. Postal Service

What’s in Your Mail?

National Postal Worker’s Day was July 1, which seemed like a good time to check out what’s in your mail. As people have moved from doing business through the mail to electronic communications, first class mail has declined. Banking, including bill paying, and personal communications have largely moved online. Only occasionally do I receive handwritten notes, cards, letters, or postcards, and I suspect that I am not alone. Even event invitations are conveyed electronically, through sites that track responses (RSVPs) and comments from invitees. Since 1926, the USPS has tracked mail volume by type of mail.…

0 Comments

July 22, 2023

email / Handwriting / Letter writing / Mail / Note cards / Pandemic / Pen Pals / Post cards / U.S. Postal Service

Pandemic Pen Pal

Many of us are experiencing a new normal – perhaps working from home, avoiding theaters, dining outdoors – and with these new Covid restrictions, what better time than now to develop a written correspondence with a pandemic pen pal? Commonly, pen pals are people who seek friendships and new experiences through the exchange of letters, often among people who have no previous connection. Many people favor international correspondence in order to learn and better understand the culture and customs of another country. In the early days of Social Correspondence, I often read sweet stories about long-term…

0 Comments

September 24, 2021

Archives / Handwriting / Letter writing / Mail

Lost and Found Letters

The percentage of letters lost in the mail is relatively small, but still there are times one wishes for a Lost and Found Letters Department. Sometimes you either sense or know that something is missing. That promised invitation to a literary event that never arrives. The letter listed in Informed Delivery that does not materialize. Where do these letters go? Were they delivered by accident to the wrong house? Perhaps they fall on the ground and get swallowed up in the trash. Technically, there is a Lost and Found Letters Department. It is called the Mail…

5 Comments

August 2, 2021

Grandparenting / Handwriting / Letter writing / love letters / Mail

Time to Write a Letter

Time to Write a Letter: Mailboxes, Sausalito, CA. Photo by Tibby Storey While most of us are still staying at home, helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, isn’t it time to write a letter? Teleworking requires concentration and organization. Job-hunting, caring for children without the usual support systems, grocery shopping and cooking at home, and fitting in time for exercise can be exhausting. But when you are taking a break, consider using the time to write a letter. It is good practice for your writing skills, provides an alternative to electronic communications, and a letter…

0 Comments

May 23, 2020

Letter writing / Mail / News / newspapers

Resolutions

Another year has arrived, and I am reminded that it is time to update my New Year’s resolutions! Most likely, some of mine are similar to or overlap with yours. Resolutions: Fitness First off, there is that pesky weight gain that coincides with fall celebrations. Whether they come from too much partying, excessive sweets, calorie-laden holiday meals, or simple inactivity, daily walks and other forms of exercise are part of the antidote. My father, gone now for 25 years, would have been 99 years old this coming May. He had a sense of humor about my…

0 Comments

January 8, 2019

A SPECIAL LETTER FROM MY GRANDDAUGHTER AT Y CAMP

A special letter from camp

Handwriting / Letter writing / Mail

A SPECIAL LETTER FROM MY GRANDDAUGHTER AT Y CAMP

Guest post by Kay Roberts I received a special letter from my only granddaughter and namesake, Catherine, which she sent me from Y Camp. What was so special about it? Catherine is ten and was spending two whole weeks away from home at Y Camp. How would she handle this big new event? Could she eat and sleep in a strange new place with kids she didn’t know? I remembered back decades ago when her father went to Y Camp. It was a day camp and he only had one night when the kids camped…

3 Comments

July 26, 2017

Letter writing / Mail

Social Correspondence 2016

Welcome to Social Correspondence 2016 and belated Happy New Year! Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a day to reflect on the legacy of this remarkable man, and on the hope for a more peaceful world, with fairness and social justice for all. I wish each of you a healthy, peaceful and fulfilling year ahead. Fall and winter holidays are my favorite time of year, a time to enjoy family and friends, good food, and conviviality. It also is the time to reconnect with those we see less often through the ritual of the annual…

1 Comment

January 18, 2016