“Brown-paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things!”

I might be an old-fashioned “old soul,” because there’s something enchanting to me about walking to the mailbox… sorting through a scruffy pile of bills, advertisements, official business, and junk mail… and discovering even a tiny parcel of personal mail.

It stands out like a gem amidst the other envelopes!

Whenever I find such a rare treasure, my heart swells a little.  I can feel my dimples pressing into my cheeks and my eyes sparkling a touch.  You just can’t wait to open the very seal someone had licked shut (and perhaps even added a sticker to), and read its precious contents!

Maybe it’s because of the nostalgia created by childhood pen pals, or maybe it’s because that thoughtful someone took the time to pick out the perfect design, hand-write a personal message inside, lick an actual stamp, and hand it to the mailman.

Maybe it’s because that special envelope traveled and changed hands several times, just to be hand-delivered to your home when a simple text message, electronic message, or social media post would have conveyed the same precious words!  ….Though perhaps not the very same message.  The words on a screen could say “I’m thinking of you, dear friend! Coffee and a chat, soon?”  And while the words on the card may match explicitly to those on the screen, its message, by nature, reads deeper: I’ve been pondering our pending coffee date for as long as it takes for this card to reach you. P.S. You’re worth the time & the stamp!

Whether sent or received, perhaps your mail isn’t necessarily a “thinking of you” sort of occasion, but an invitation – formal or casual.  Those can be a lost art these days, do you agree?  Or a special announcement, when social media is just too public or impersonal.  Or how about a thank-you card for a gesture seemingly “too small” to mention, especially by mail!  Well-wishes for a special occasion, a long letter just to be vintage for a day, actual-developed photos of a recently shared moment, romantic love letters (even to someone who already lives in your house!)… there can be so many occasions to send love by mail.

The Internet & social media have become such wonderful tools in today’s society, ones that I am genuinely grateful for.  But I don’t ever want convenience to make me forget about the old-fashioned joys that snail mail can bring.

If you’re looking for creative ways to make someone’s day, why not start with a hand-written parcel of mail?  Don’t forget to make it beautiful & personal!

What other “old-fashioned” ways have you used to remind someone you care?