National Postal Museum

Mr. B & I had a weekend jaunt to Washington, D.C. this weekend for a few festivities in our nation's capital. And a few hours to kill after arriving at Union Station, when found that we couldn't get a train right away. Did you know that across the street from Union Station is the National Postal Museum? Me, neither!

{this picture from Family Adventure Guidbooks.com because I forgot to take one myself.}

I've talked here before about the importance of writing in this day & age, especially with all of the electronic communicating we're doing, but going to the National Postal Museum (a part of the Smithsonian, btw) shed a new light on what written communication used to mean. Letters between every day citizens of America paint a picture about life through the ages. This may put a few of you to sleep, but anyone who has found a box of their parents' or grandparents' letter in an attic or basement knows how exciting these kinds of things can be.

Fortunately you don't have to go all the way to DC to learn about these!! Lots of the Postal Museums exhibit information is online! Check it out the museum itself here. And the letter writing exhibit here.

So, who has letters in an attic or basement somewhere? Who knows what they hold!

Hello, Goodbye - opening & closing your notes

Happy Monday!

My mom sent me an interesting link a few weeks ago & I thought I should share the topic of it here. She was looking for a new way to close her email correspondence. So, I got thinking about it & decided to do as I do & looked up some alternatives to the "hi, (name)" and "All the best" that are my standard phrases.

Here are some suggestions:

Openings: (slim pickin's here...) Dear (name - let's use Sally), Dear Mr. (or Mrs.) Christopher Jones, Dearest Sally, Darling Sally, My Dear, or My Dear Sally, Hi! or Hey! or Hi, Sally! or Hey, Sally! or Sally, (just the name is ok too)

Closings: (peeeeeelenty to choose from)
More on the formal/business side: Kind regards, Best regards, Best wishes, Many thanks, Respectfully yours, Sincerely.

More on the friend side: Love, Affectionately, Hugs, Kind thoughts, Wishing you the best, Write soon, Be well, Cheers. The last 2 are also good for email.

Emily Post had some interesting comments on the subject. Very proper comments of course, but also a bit 19th century in some cases. Not sure when the last time I worried about the sealing wax on my letter. I do like that she endorses "complimentary closes" such as "Kindest Regards" and "With Kindest Remembrances" instead of more abrupt closings that she finds impersonal, such as just "Sincerely." Agreed, Ms Post!

See anything here that speaks to you? That you might use in the future? What closings/openings are you using now? I'm going to try out "Affectionately" and/or "Hugs," I think. Christmas card writing is on my to-do list for this week!

Until next time! Cheers!

Why handwritten notes?

(like these correspondence cards? They are K. Batty! Look for them soon on Esty!)

People's desire (hopefully!) to send & write handwritten notes is a major part of my business, so I thought a little blog series on the subject may be in order.

First up: Why send one in the first place?

Emails are quick. So are texts & phone calls. So, why wait on snail mail to deliver a sentiment? All have their place. But, in my opinion, none of them show the sincerity of a handwritten note. I turned to The Art of the Handwritten Note by Margaret Shepherd for a little guidance. Shepard says that sending a handwritten note tells the recipient that "You are worth the effort it took" to write, stamp & send this note.

I like that. She also points out that it's rarity heights the appeal. That makes me like sending them even more. To show someone that I am thinking about them by doing something that is (sadly) rare these days increases the importance of the gesture.

Now, you don't need to write anyone a book or your life story in a note. Figure out your message & send what's needed to deliver it. Maybe it's a card just to say hi! Saying something is better than saying nothing. So, if it comes to texting or emailing your message, then fine.

But, the point is put down your device, pick up a pen and make someone's day with a surprise in their mailbox.

Up next: haven't decided yet! Basic formats for notes? Perhaps materials, like pens & paper? Let's get excited about handwritten notes, people!