As we (the Hub, Cub and I) get ready to head out on vacation for a little R&R, I asked my friend and fellow etiquette expert, Mindy Lockard, aka The Gracious Girl, to share her tips on the Power of Postcards. Thanks Mindy for being our guest today!!!
There is so much power in social media, no? From the ability to share our every meal to to play-by-play pictures from our travels it’s easy to feel connected. However, with the power of this immediate information it’s easy dismiss the value of staying in touch through the handwritten word.
After a recent trip to the East Coast where my ten-year-old daughter communicated to friends and family through the tradition of sending postcards, I realized there is still power in the postcard. This was most telling when we returned home and every person we sent a card to had the tail of our journey posted on their refrigerator or memo board. What was missing alongside our postcards was a print off of the many pictures I shared on facebook, twitter and instagram. After all, who prints off pictures or messages from their newsfeed? Nobody that I know.
That said, while our adventure is now old news in the social media newsfeed, it continues to be front and center for those we shared our adventures with. This my friends, shows that the handwritten note, while seemingly old fashioned, still is appreciated and valued.
Not to mention, receiving postcards is fun and one of the best ways to teach children how fun it can be to receive mail.
So this summer before you jet off or hit the road how about planning ahead to send a postcard or two?
Here are a few simple tips for sending postcards:
- Pack well, don’t forget addresses, stamps and a great pen
- On the airplane or from the road, make a list of those that you want to share your journey!
- When you arrive, find the nearest souvenir shop and purchase your postcards. Our suggestion is to purchase a few more than the number on your list. We always think of others as we go.
- As you travel, share your adventures through writing. We also find that when we are out to dinner visiting friends or have times when we might be tempted to hand our children a technological device, we hand them a postcard instead. It keeps them occupied and is a great life lesson.
- Find the nearest mailbox or Post Office and pop them in the mail! Don’t worry about them arriving after your return date. It’s the thought that counts.
