Thinking of You Week starts now! Thinking of You Week is an annual celebration of greeting cards and snail mail that has been around since 2014 and is gaining momentum recently.
When's the last time you received snail mail that wasn't an ad or a bill? Now, people always have text, email, and social media available right from their phone that is near to hand 24/7, so it seems like snail mail has become a thing of the past. But not necessarily! Because there is a special kind of joy that you get with snail mail that you just don't with a simple text or email.
And that's what Thinking of You Week is for! Their motto is "Send a card, deliver a smile," and they are all about letting people know you're thinking of them by sending them a greeting card. Of course, you can (and should!) always send cards outside of Thinking of You Week, throughout the year, but now is the perfect chance to send some snail mail if you haven't in a while.
Don't know who to send to? Here are 7 people you can mail a card to—one for each day of Thinking of You Week:
- A parent. The ultimate thank you—the thank you for raising you, keeping you clothed and fed, and putting up with you through your terrible twos and terrible teens.
- Your siblings. And/or siblings-in-law! Whether you're close to your siblings or not, I'm sure they would love to hear from you. I find it so fun to send cards to my siblings, because I get to unleash some of the sibling humor that other people just won't get.
- A grandparent. They are often the biggest snail mail fans and the most appreciative of a hand-written card! A lot of them may not have had a chance to experience with new technology and forms of communication until much later in their lives, so physical mail feels much more nostalgic and natural for them. Also, grandparents are the most likely to send a card back!
- Your kids. Parents out there, don't forget about your kids! Write them a card or letter and you can hand it directly to them, or even better, put a stamp on it and mail it! Even if it's going to your own address, it will put a smile on your kid's face. Let me know you, kids LOVE getting mail. They dream of getting mail (they don't know yet that it's all bills!). Bonus points if you put stickers on the card or envelope!
- Your best friend. Has it been awhile since you've seen them? How much do you miss them? An eleven on a scale of 1-10, right? A card is the perfect way to tell them you love and miss them, as well as to reminisce over all the good memories you've made so far and talk about all the new ones you'll make together after the pandemic is over!
- A friend you want to reconnect with. If anyone comes to mind when reading that, it's time to send them a card. Let them know you've been thinking about them, and maybe they'll send a card back to catch up with you too!
- A hero. Who is your hero? Are they a family member? A teacher? A celebrity? A politician? Or even someone who's helped you out, the particularly friendly cashier at your supermarket, or a neighbor who lent you a hand the other day? Send them a note of thanks, or tell them how they've changed your life, whether that change be big or small. If your hero is not someone you know personally, you can try sending it to their company or office, For celebrities, try Googling their name and "fan mail address."
Hopefully that gives you some ideas! And if you don't get around to everyone on your list during Thinking of You Week, that's okay. Any time is a good time to send (and receive) mail!