Snail Mail, Anyone?

Whenever I am having a bad day like today, I have a habit to self-soothe (don’t we all?) by indulging in some shopping therapy. Not just any kind of shopping therapy though. Preferably, stationary-related shopping therapy. I don’t know why I gravitate towards glittery cards, stickers, notebooks, coloring books, etc. Now that Halloween-themed merchandise has taken over the store shelves, guess what I bought today? Halloween-themed cards and stickers! These items are flat enough to fit into an envelope which I can send via snail mail. Sometimes, I like to include photos, but this year I did not feel like taking photos that are worth sending. What can I say? Depression deprived me of the joy I once had for photography. 🙅‍♀️

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When I lived next door to the neighbors with young kids, I would make treat bags for them! 🎃

Seeing the kids’ faces light up made my heart happy.

Luckily, sending handwritten cards still brings me joy these days, and my CBT therapist encouraged me to continue sending mail because it gives me a sense of connection. One of my favorite hobbies includes pen-palling with both online and IRL friends who live across the country (Canada) and across the border (United States). This is my way of telling faraway friends that I am thinking about them. Some of them I’ve met in person, and others I have yet to meet. Perhaps I am childish for believing that snail mail is still a cool thing when there is email and instant messaging available at our fingertips, or maybe I am too old fashioned. After all, I am an old soul who feels like an old lady trapped inside a younger person’s body. Not only that, but I also find that text messaging lacks authenticity. Given the option, I much rather receive a birthday card with a hand-written message than a generic text message on my phone that says, “Happy Birthday!” 👉Copy. Paste. Send.

Cute birthday card I received in the mail from a friend back at home. Inside was a lovely handwritten note. 💌

Right now, I am only sending mail to people who live in Canada and the US. In the future, I would love to expand my pen-pal mailing list to include international pen pals as well. Luckily, I still have a few international stamps leftover from my wedding. If you are interested in exchanging mail with me, feel free to contact me here, or you can email me at hilary_harm_7@hotmail.com

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Like what you see? I try to send things that I think the other person will like. In this case, it happened to be rainbow unicorns and pink skulls #random

Disclaimer: I won’t be sending snail mail in 2020 because I will be a full-time student and part-time mommy again. If everything goes as planned, I want to take the accelerated route during the summer months so that I will [hopefully] finish school in December 2020. Will I be publishing new blog posts in 2020? Tbh, I am not a psychic so I don’t have the answer yet. Thank you for understanding that not all of us were gifted with the ability to foresee the future.

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I went a little overboard in 2016 and mailed 50+ Christmas cards to friends and family! 🙊

What are your thoughts about snail mail? Do you think that instant messaging is good enough or is mailing physical letters a lost art? Have you ever sent mail to online friends who live far, far away? Please leave a comment by joining the conversation below ↓

Thanks for stopping by!

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Published by Hilary Tan

I am currently in the process of finding my inner goddess as I search for inner peace, find mental clarity, develop mental toughness, and crush goals. Come join me on this journey so we can live our best lives!

79 thoughts on “Snail Mail, Anyone?”

  2. ciccolady says:

    I was talking online with one women for few years and somehow one day she asked me about snail mail and we started to send for each other laters, honestly i think it is really nice🤗🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Thank you so much, Michelle!💕 My mom used make me gift baskets when I was a little kid, so I wanted to keep the tradition going. I feel like we share a lot in common. My family doesn’t really keep in touch either, especially extended family. Everyone just keeps to themselves which is sad. You are not alone – I don’t use Facebook either. I used to, but I stopped using it in 2017 so my account just sits there collecting virtual dust. 😂 Like I told Ilona above, there is something magical about sending/receiving personalized cards in the mail. Thanks for stopping by today! 😊🌻

      Liked by 2 people

  4. stevescountry says:

    I agree with you Hilary, snail mail is still a nice thing. I much prefer a birthday/Christmas card or just a fun greeting card for no reason. I also enjoy sending them to people. It does have that personal touch which you can’t get with email or texting. Those do have their place for sure, nice and quick and cheap, but there is still something exciting about getting an actual letter in the mail. Not many people want to take the time anymore though, our lifestyle is just too busy these days. Maybe we need to slow down more and enjoy these little things. Have a great evening Hilary!😃😺🍁🍂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Hi Steve! Yes, it really is, and it’s becoming a bit of a lost art imo.🙇‍♀️ Agreed, these little acts of kindness can really go a long way. I like how the stores sell random cards for no particular occasion other than “Hey, I’m thinking about you!” It sure beats text messages. I get that texting is very convenient and quick, but it’s gotten to the point where not much thought is put into the messages anymore. I noticed this when my husband told me that “FB friends” wrote Happy Birthday greetings on my FB wall this year who never ever talked to me IRL… and I haven’t even used FB for over 2 years.🤦‍♀️ They only sent these messages because of the FB birthday reminder feature; not because they genuinely cared. But I guess any greeting/birthday wish is better than nothing at all, right?

      Are we really busy or are we just too distracted these days where everything and everyone demands our attention 24/7? I completely agree with you about slowing down. Then perhaps we would actually get to smell the roses! 😊🌹🌹

      Liked by 2 people

      • stevescountry says:

        FB has really taken over, people would rather do that then even email or text now but for me that’s just more like a bulletin board at the mall, like we used to have here. We are busy, but doing what? A lot of times I think we are too busy doing not much important and we have lost that personal contact/touch that people used to have. I believe that kind of personal contact is important, even if old fashioned. But old fashioned doesn’t mean it’s no good. Too distracted, definitely! Have a great afternoon!😃😺🍁🍂

        Liked by 2 people

      • Hilary Tan says:

        Thank you for replying, Steve. I like how you compare FB to a bulletin board LOL 😂🤣 Not sure if you know about Pinterest but that app is like a virtual bulletin board; a lot of people are obsessed with it but I’m not, since it’s literally a junk pile of ideas that nobody actually executes. Several of the pins are fake (I have tried a handful of them), and most people just want followers, likes etc. I want ideas that actually work and not a bunch of nonsense, so my account sits dormant collecting virtual dust just like my FB account. *le sigh*

        Yes, I totally agree. We are loosing sight of what is important and what truly makes us happy. I really do believe that the 90’s was the best decade before we became so dependent on the internet and smart phones. I wasn’t around in the 80’s to know if it was a good decade or not! 😂 Technology is great, but I feel like society is missing the point when it comes to connection. Old fashioned communication IS a good thing for sure! 😄👍

        Liked by 2 people

      • stevescountry says:

        Have never checked out Pinterest. I really don’t like any of them, even though I realize it might be a good way to keep in touch I suppose, but there are other, better, ways to stay in touch with family and friends, and it’s more personal. Just takes more time, but that’s the point, take some time. That’s just me.
        Our modern technology can be great, but unfortunately it has made us less personal, even with family, we have become a face on a screen. You’re right, we are missing the point about connection.
        Have a great week Hilary!😃😺🌞

        Liked by 2 people

      • Hilary Tan says:

        You aren’t missing much on Pinterest and can’t communicate well with people on Pinterest. I could never understand why I would want to follow my “friends” on Pinterest. It seems nonsensical to follow other people whose boards are irrelevant to yours. I forgot to ask you earlier if you have a Facebook account? 🙊

        Liked by 2 people

      • stevescountry says:

        No Facebook either for me. Instagram was the only one I had and it’s no longer active. Any free time goes to blogging, otherwise it’s offline activities for me. I just don’t want to get involved in these social media sites. I prefer something that’s a little more personal. Usually people look shocked when I say I’m not on Facebook, like, everyone’s on Facebook they say. And , how do you stay in touch with people? Um, there are other ways. Oh well. I hope you are having a good day Hilary and a great weekend ahead!😃😺🍁🍂

        Liked by 2 people

      • Hilary Tan says:

        That’s amazing that you are able to live offline and still maintain connections with people. I’m lucky to have met up with a couple of people in person which started online, but I’m slowly moving towards a life offline. Right now I’m using WhatsApp and of course, WordPress. I’m actually thinking about deactivating IG but honestly can’t be bothered. FB I don’t miss at all…

        Liked by 1 person

      • stevescountry says:

        Really not too hard, most of my family lives in Canada so phoning works good, on my phone plan I can call anywhere in Canada free. Otherwise it’s the old fashioned email or really old fashioned snail mail, which personally I like. Plus I do use Viber for a few people. Or it’s WordPress. That’s it for me. If I got involved with these other social media sites I wouldn’t have time for anything else. Enjoy your day Hilary.🙂😺

        Liked by 1 person

      • Hilary Tan says:

        I have Viber because the daycare teacher uses it. The main app I use is WhatsApp which is similar to Viber. Yup, social media is very time consuming so it’s probably best to focus on a couple of things instead of everything. I also have Canada wide calling which helps a lot. 🙂

        Like

  5. Michelle says:

    I used to do pen palling years ago and even got to meet a long time pal from England! She came here to the US and spent a week with me. We had so much fun! I really miss having pen pals. I don’t think it’s lame at all to love getting snail mail. 😊

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Hi Michelle! That’s really cool that you met a pen pal from England! ❤ A whole week is something I would dream of spending with a pen pal. You are very lucky, and it’s memories like these that make pen palling worthwhile. So far I have met one pen pal who lives in the US but it was only for a few hours.

      Liked by 2 people

  6. susankgray says:

    My friends and I corresponded with snail mail in the past, as they were kind enough to indulge me during a lonely time. Your appreciation of snail mail makes my heart smile! Now I’m just too old and tired to pick it up again. I hope you get some takers because your snail mail offerings seem out of this world. And don’t get me started on stamps! Life is a blessing, and there’s nothing better than a note to remind you of that. Peace, fellow Snail Mailer.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Aw, that was so sweet of your friends to do that ❤ My grandparents prefer email over snail mail, but I prefer snail mail over email. You are never too old for snail mail IMO 💌 So far I have had one taker who lives in Europe. This is the first time that I have personally sent mail to Europe. Thank you for your kind words, and I really appreciate your comment. Have a good day! 😊💕

      Liked by 2 people

  7. V says:

    I love this idea, Hilary. I’m very much like you in that, when I am sad, I will run to the school supplies aisle. The Dollarama store has so many cute notebooks. Lately, Wal-Mart has been stepping it up too, though. I found some really adorable notebooks in white and black marble prints – like my instagram feed. I felt like I hit the jackpot.

    That’s also a really nice idea to exchange mail. It’s always a nice day when you have mail in your mailbox that isn’t a bill or a flyer for Domino’s Pizza. lol

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Wal-Mart has good stationery!? I would have never guessed that they stepped up their A-game. The Wal-Marts in Calgary don’t seem to have very good selection unless it’s in the south or far, far north.

      In the past, I have sent out lots of mail and rarely get mail in return. Every time this happens I say to myself, “never again,” but end up sending more snail mail anyway. I seem to get a lot of joy from this hobby. Hmm… as long as Domino’s is offering a good deal then it’s not so bad. Otherwise, junk mail and bills are annoying lol

      Liked by 1 person

      • V says:

        I bought a set of notebooks at wal mart that are black and white marble patterned.. aka they mach the posts I make on Instagram. I LOVE THEM. They were like four bucks per notebook.

        Liked by 2 people

  8. R A I N says:

    THESE BASKETS ARE SOOO BEAUTIFULL! That card too! SOO PRETTY! 😍😍😍😍 I love love looooveeee writing cards, sending postcards and letters..an online text is cool and all but there is something far more intimate about sending handwritten notes is one of my favorite things to do although no one ever sends me anything..they think it’s too outdated so yeah, i have experienced the pleasure of sending these cuties but not yet of receiving them 🤣🤣 Fingers crosses though!

    I ABSOLUTELY LOOVEEEE YOUR BLOGG!! 😍😍❤️❤️❤️❤️

    Liked by 3 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Thank you for stopping by and leaving such a lovely comment! ❤❤❤ Also, thank you for your kind words and positive feedback! 😊❤ It makes me very happy knowing that readers are enjoying this blog. Receiving comments like yours gives me the motivation to keep blogging.

      Personally, I feel like I get more joy sending mail than the recipients do, which might explain why I rarely receive mail in return. It seems like most people are content with texting, e-mail, Facebook messenger, etc. but in a weird way, I feel like I am talking to a computer or phone screen. Maybe they will send you some mail if you guilt trip them long enough (keep sending them mail until they feel bad and eventually send something back). 😂🤣

      Liked by 2 people

  9. buddy71 says:

    I like snail mail he would have seen it. And like you I have shared snail mail with online friends. But it seems as the years have passed they have failed to return my snail mail. I would send cards that I would make a photos I have taken that they would have a real photo of mine. Though email and instant messaging are nice, I still like the Personal Touch I’m getting a card it’s someone has taken the time to pick out write a note and mail it to me. I guess life just gets in the way and the snail mail Falls by the wayside. Good luck to you and I hope you get into school next year.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Wow, I can relate to this so well! 🙌 This is a huge pet peeve of mine for sure, and an issue I have also experienced with pen-palling. I send them mail and rarely receive mail in return. Over time, my mailing list changes for this reason. If people don’t reciprocate after I send them mail on multiple occasions, I will eventually move on and find new pen pals. I understand your frustrations…😕

      Thank you, I am registered for January 2020 courses (Term 6) and have my on-campus schedule already. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Thank you cards count as something!😊 Whether it’s a greeting card or a thank you card, any kind of of snail mail is a nice gesture. Aw, thank you for your kind words💕 My mom is a very artistic and creative person so I probably got it from her.

      Liked by 2 people

  13. buddy71 says:

    Several years ago, I posted a blog saying anyone wishing to email me could do so if they would like a card with one of my photos. They would have to give me their name address and I would send a card. Only one person contacted me and that one person has received not only cards, but gifts and we have visited each other. It was the best email I have ever received. We talk and text etc. every day. She has become a special person to me. And all because of a request I made in a blog. 😁😁😁

    Liked by 3 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      I am a fairly new follower so I didn’t see your earlier blog post with the request. That is so sweet that she reached out to you and you two became not only pen-pals but also good friends. And it’s so lovely that you two met in person. It’s such a rare opportunity to meet other bloggers and I’m happy that you got to experience that. I think that it’s truly amazing what a simple request on a blog post can lead to! Ty for sharing your story with me, Buddy. Have a good evening! 😊🌙

      Liked by 1 person

  16. mainepaperpusher says:

    Oh my! Another stationery/sticker/anything made of paper person! The art of snail-mailing is almost forgotten. A long time ago, I was intrigued by various paper arts and I had a blast with ink and rubber stamps and paint…and paper….ooooh so much paper! I used to love making cards but very few people actually sent cards and I just moved on to other things. Your cards and stickers remind me that I have a whole room (no joke) filled with card-making supplies. Someday, maybe I’ll dig it all out and play again. Thanks for the inspiration and a little motivation. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Yes.. I love stationary, stickers, and snail mail! There’s something very therapeutic about sending mail, and I think I get more joy sending things than receiving them 😂 Ohhh, Ink and rubber stamps sounds like fun! I’ve eyed them in store but didn’t buy them. They look so cool! 😎 Btw, there’s a MeetUp group in the city where I’m currently living for card making and scrapbooking. I recommend checking out MeetUp groups in your city to connect with others who enjoy similar hobbies. You’re never too old to experiment with crafting. Do what brings you joy. I’m happy that I was able to inspire you with this post. 😊💕

      Liked by 1 person

  17. 𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖈𝖆 𝕽𝖔𝖘𝖊 says:

    Good evening, I recently gifted my cousin due to her graduation. Although I bought a card with congratulations and few words in it, I added a hand written letter. Until this day I can’t forget how her face light up when she saw the letter. Something about hand written letters that texts & online wishes can’t bring. l loved the attached images. Good luck with your school/ studies. I would like to thank you for liking my latest blog post “Aromatic Vanilla Pearl 🥶🍦”. It meant so much to me. Have a lovely evening. 🌸

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Good morning Angelica.😇 I’m not sure how your comment got missed, but I found it now. That was so sweet of you to include a hand written letter. It’s that handwritten letter that your cousin will cherish forever. I totally agree – texting and online wishes aren’t the same as handwritten greetings.

      Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am trying to keep an open mind and have a positive outlook for the new year. It’s a pleasure reading your blog posts! Vanilla is one of my favorite scents and I recently bought a vanilla scented lip balm. I can’t wait to try it! 🌸🌸🌸

      Like

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