building better letter writing habits for the holidays

Read time: 4 minutes

hey bestie,

hopefully after last week’s newsletter, you’re feeling inspired to kick off your holiday letter writing campaign.

the note-worthy numbers showed you how much 1 piece of mail stands out against 251 digital notifications.

my 10 reasons helped you understand more reasons to write cards by remind you it means more to others than you think!

the address tools got you stoked to organize your address data, most exciting to my fellow friends high on C in their big five personality traits.

and maybe you even took it to the next level by getting a head start on other holiday to-do’s.

pretty please say you scheduled your time off for work. zero reasons to wait on requesting this. it’s only going to get harder!

last week my hope was to get you clear on your why to writing holiday letters.

today i’m focused on helping you master the how of building a better letter writing habit.

5 merry mail metrics

these 5 statistics show how handwritten holiday cards are still thriving despite headlines saying otherwise:

• 1.3 billion christmas cards are sent annually, making it the largest mail sending occasion in the US

• more than 2 in 5 (43%) plan to send holiday cards

• 83% of card senders believe sending holiday cards is a way to stay close to friends and family

• americans receive an average of 20 greeting cards per year, including all holidays

• millennials spend more money on greeting cards than any other generation, outspending boomers starting in 2015

mailbox on memory lane

take a moment to think back to the last time you received a handwritten in the mail.

you’re likely mindlessly checking your mail, collecting your stacks of bills, advertisements, & notices that could have been or may also be emails.

then buried in mail haystack, you see your name handwritten on an envelope.

maybe you even recognize the handwriting or the address or the stationery.

or maybe it’s a total mystery.

no matter what your anticipation builds as you start the opening ceremony of the envelope to get to the letter inside.

next thing you know you admiring the card picked specially for you & your reading the heartfelt words written for you.

cue all the warm fuzzy feelings.

i’m 99% sure this is a universally cherished experienced as i’ve yet to have anyone tell me they hate receiving a handwritten letter.

we love feeling special.

but we struggle to make time to pass this feeling along to others.

identifying as mail

since starting my stationary store earlier this year, i’ve heard so many people talk about how much they love receiving handwritten letters & how they want to write more letters.

so many of us want to be that person. that friend that always sends birthday cards. that gift recipient that writes out thank you’s.

but life gets in the way.

and sadly intentions can’t handwrite a card for us.

action is required to become that letter writing person.

as a the habit guru, james clear, so wisely said:

so if you want to claim the universally admired trait of being the type of person that writes letters, then you must build the habit of handwriting cards.

the key to making this a lasting habit is focusing on the identity you want.

that starts with getting clear on why you want to write more letters.

10 tips to build a better letter writing habit

building a habit of writing holiday letters can be both rewarding & fulfilling. drawing from james clear's framework, here are 10 tips to make your letter writing habit obvious, attractive, easy, & satisfying:

1. start early: begin well before the holiday rush. being the first in someone's mailbox can be delightful and memorable.

2. special supplies: gather stationery, pens, stamps, and stickers you’re excited to use & keep them in one place to make hassle free.

3. create a checklist: note down each recipient's address & personal details to include in your cards, more helpful links on this below.

4. visually track: use a wall calendar or app to mark off days when you’ve written a letter, savor that feeling of checking off a to-do

5. schedule writing blocks: dedicate 30 minutes to an hour each week, or even daily, for writing. it's a great digital detox & unwind from work.

6. habit stacking: pair letter writing with something you enjoy, like drinking your favorite tea or listening to holiday music or maybe 1989.

7. involve family & friends: turn it into a social activity, writing cards like many things in life is better together sipping hot coco.

8. limit distractions: turn off digital devices or notifications while writing to stay focused & enjoy the process.

9. embrace imperfection: don’t stress about perfect handwriting or wording or length; it's the thought & sincerity that counts most.

10. celebrate completion: once you've sent all your letters, treat yourself to something special a black friday buy or a seasonal sweet or flowers.

even using just one of these tips will help you transform holiday letter writing from a daunting task into a heartfelt holiday tradition of connecting heart to heart.

now take a deep breath with me as you inhale this new identity.

merry membership

i’m practicing these habit hacks myself as i’m personally writing handwritten holiday cards to every single merry member.

this quarter merry members not only get their 3 free cards & free shipping on all orders, but they also get 2 additional free holiday cards (total value for the year of $92).

for only $7.11 per month or $71.11 per year, you can get these perks too.

so please if you’ve gotten any value from this newsletter, it would mean the world to me to have you as a merry member. the more the merrier <3

think of it like you’re buying me my favorite festive beverage each month to sip on as i write this newsletter.

every dollar counts as i try to merry make this community around friendship & letter writing. i can’t do this without you!

keep calm & merry on,

p.s. my custom holiday cards take ~2 weeks to ship so make haste to get my very merry mail!