It’s World Postcard Day – and the anniversary of the postcard itself! Postcards are a great way to send your loved ones something nice to find in amidst all of the junk mail that they likely get. Without further ado, let’s celebrate World Postcard Day today – on the 1st of October. This year, postcards have been providing joy to thousands for 151 years.
Why Celebrate World Postcard Day?
I actually received a postcard this morning, which makes this blog post pretty fun to be writing right now. It is currently sitting next to me showcasing some of the beautiful scenery from Switzerland – as one of my friends sent me one from there recently. They are such a fun thing to receive in the post, amidst all of the junk mail or invoices. It’s so beautiful, and really nice way to help connect people to the outside world when travelling is not necessarily an option for everyone.
I am a huge fan of postcards for many reasons and would recommend them to anyone. They are a small snippet into someone’s day – such as their travels – and it is a great way to let someone know that you are thinking about them, even if you do not have the time to write a ten page letter. It really is the thought that counts.
In particular, it can be useful for someone who wants to send more letters but doesn’t know where to begin. The design on the card itself will usually do a lot of talking for you – a greeting or message that you want to share with them. And the space on the back of the postcard is quite limited, in reality. So it is less overwhelming than an entirely blank piece of A4 paper or something.
Not sure who to send it?
This day encourages you to send a postcard to anyone you want. That could be a loved one – to let them know that you are thinking of them. Alternatively, if you are not sure who to send it to then here’s some options:
1. Find a local cause that accepts mail!
There’s quite a few different organisations that do this. However, you can send post to strangers in different circumstances – such as people who are sick, those in the army, or those in prison. There’s a lot of different causes other than those, of course. They are also international organisations – or organisations that accept international post, if you cannot find anything local to you.
One of my favourites is From Me To You. This is an organisation that encourages you to write to someone with cancer. They provide a lot of information and tips if you are unsure where to begin. Find out more over on their website – frommetoyouletters.co.uk!
2. Postcrossing or Penpals!
Postcrossing is a project that allows you to write and receive postcards from people all around the world. It is completely free to sign up to and once connected, you can send and receive as many postcards as your heart desires. This project will allocate you to a random person, so you are unlikely to make ‘penpals’ out of it. However, it is great for one off posts. Find out more at postcrossing.com!
If you wish to find a more long term thing, you could try and look for a penpal. There are a few sites that offer this but I personally haven’t used any, so don’t have any recommendations at present. Alternatively, you could try and search for a penpal on your current social media accounts – such as through Facebook. Perhaps someone you’re already friends with would be interested!
Want a Postcard? Get a free one here!
So on the anniversary of the invention of the postcard itself, why not get involved and send out one to a loved one? If you do not already have one to hand, perhaps today is a great day to buy a few? You can always send them out over the course of a week. Check our your favourite stationery shops and see if they have any cute postcards on sale. If you can, now is a great time to support the small businesses.
If you are struggling to find one or cannot buy one at this present time, check out the World Postcard Day’s website, they have an official postcard on their homepage that you can print and use for free! Find out more about this fun national event – which has been made by Postcrossing – at their website.