This time of the year makes me particularly vulnerable and soft. I don’t know if it is the Christmas-y feeling of love or the coldness that whips in the air that makes me crave the closeness and warmth of others. I find myself feeling more inclined to smile at strangers or give gifts to those that I love. I suppose it could be the Christmas spirit then, although I think it must be more than that. For me, it feels like having a greater capacity to love and appreciate those around me. Pinpointing the exact reason I feel this way is futile, however, if there’s anything we can agree on, it is that there needs to be more kindness and love spread in this world.
During this holiday season, gifts can be overwhelming to buy for everyone. It makes it hard to get a really good gift for someone when you also have to buy gifts for twenty other people. Thoughtful gifts, while taking a little extra time, may go a long way to make sure your loved ones feel seen. For those family members who live far away or close friends whom you don’t talk to as much as you’d like to because life gets in the way, a thoughtful gift is a great way to let others know that you’re thinking of them.
One cute way to connect with your loved ones is snail mail. Snail mail is like sending a letter, except it’s more cute and personalized. You can decorate the card and the envelope with drawings or stickers. People also use postcards or fun paper, as well as including things like pressed flowers, song titles, photos, recipes, or little origami figurines. I also find that buying stamps that you like adds to the entire decoration of the mail. Texts are really nice and a quick way to let someone know you’re thinking about them, but snail mail, although a bit outdated, is truly more thoughtful and fun to make.
Some other ideas to add to your snail mail may be: a bracelet, tea or hot cocoa bags, quotes, lyrics, stickers, patches, pins, a spray of perfume or cologne, colorful washi tape, magazine or news clippings, poems, doodles, post-it notes, a temporary tattoo, charms, collages, short stories, maps, bookmarks, money, fabric or ribbons, movie or tv show recommendations, etc.
This is something that I am going to try and do for a couple of close friends and family this holiday season. It can also be cathartic to decorate a little letter and send it off. The anticipation of waiting for your loved one to receive the letter will be so exciting and rewarding when your loved one expresses surprise and gratitude for such an unexpected mail within all their bills and coupon books. Finding new and different ways to connect with each other is necessary for the human experience, and I think that’s why so many pen pal organizations exist. It can be really meaningful to send decked-out snail mail this year. And maybe, someone will reply and send you snail mail right back. It’s such a simple gesture that would probably make someone’s day or even month. I know if I received one of these, I wouldn’t stop thinking about it for months.