February is a busy month in the mail calendar, and we can’t wait for it to start! Are you ready? :)
I love a good mail challenge, and since February is the “Month of Letters”, it is time to dust off your special stationery and put pen to paper! It’s the perfect opportunity for reconnecting with family and friends, sending a Valentine card to your special someone, saying thank you to the helpful people in your life… or simply surprising strangers across the world with postcards! 😉
The rules of the Month of Letters challenge are simple:
- Mail at least one item through the post every day it runs. Write a postcard, a letter, send a picture or a cutting from a newspaper… anything goes!
- Write back to everyone who writes to you. This can count as one of your mailed items.
That’s it! The challenge started back in 2012, after Mary Robinette Kowal decided it was time for a break from the internet. She spent a month offline, and asked her friends to communicate with her through letters. The results were relaxing and intimate, so she decided to invite others to join, sparking a flurry of correspondence.
Another happy mail-related event coming up is Mail Carrier Appreciation Day, which happens every year on February 4th. This is the day to celebrate our trusty postmen and women, who make it possible for this hobby to exist by delivering all our postcards!
The date falls on a Sunday this year… but don’t let that stop you from making something nice for your mail carrier. Pour your gratitude into a thank you note that you’ll deliver (or affix to your mailbox) on Monday February 5th, when they make their rounds. I’m sure it’ll be the highlight of their day!
If you can, take a photo of what you did to celebrate this special day, and share a link to it in the comments! 😊
15 comments so far
What a wonderful challenge! I look forward to a month full of a flurry of letters and many smiles. I look forward to the February 4th comments.
There is a small typo in the last part: "on Monday February 4th". Monday is the 5th.
Otherwise, thanks for reminding us! I've talked about my mail carrier about postcrossing and she loves the concept :)
@Wiese Well spotted! 😅
For the second year, I am ready for the challenge. I made a list to forget about anyone and I realized my envelopes myself.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeFjCEAh0_o/
A minor breach of the rules, I will start on February 1st, posting every day, even on Sunday. :)
Being a post-wo-man for 22 years I would love to receive thank-you-cards haha! Send them to NancyNijntje yes yes yes! In The Netherlands we dont work on Monday so keep that in mind if you want to surprise your Postnl post-man-wo-man. Thanks!
This is a great idea! I love it. Would love to receive a bunch of wonderful postcards to celebrate this! I am a mail lady also! It would be wonderful to see all the neat cards that go out!
I'm ready too. I'll give our mail carrier a small gift at the mailbox and I will send postcards to everyone who let me know their address before febr. 4th. Let's do this!!!!
@Veuleke I am ready for this February challenge. I am on a short business trip in Belgium soon and will try the travel mode. Could you or anyone else tell me how much do I have to put on a postcard within Belgium, within Europe and outside of Europe?
This is awesome! I'm definitely celebrating my postal people on February 5th! I always feel for them by the way they are treated by the public. I brought them cookies at Christmas. :) I love how they always make my day bright!
Challenge accepted! :D
Let's not forget a similar challenge to Month of Letters called InCoWriMo (or International Correspondence Writing Month) which has over 700 correspondents. ☺
I would love to send cards in February. Please send me a message by February 4th so I can send you a card in February.
I haven't decided whether I'll participate on the Month of Letters this year... but it might be just the thing to help me deal with the pile of unanswered letters and postcards on my desk! 😅
Oh! I am just in time to still join this fun challenge. Happy letter writing everyone!
Hi there, someone by the name DECLAN McMahon gave me the address to sent a card in februari - Mail Carrier Appreciation Day - but I got it back - return to sender - as addressed unable to forward. Any one here?????