One of the great things about living in the country is that you have a mailbox with a little flag, letting you know [when the flag is up] You Have Mail ..
Before the time of telephones a written letter was the only means of learning what was happening around the world or in the next town. Letters were sent via ships across the oceans, by trains and horse carriages or sent with people who were travelling to the letter's destination. Depending on its place of origin, it could take months to receive word from loved ones. With the introduction of the telephone not only were you able to learn of world events and happenings in a loved one's life, in a timely manner, you could enjoy the sound of their voice.
Fast forward to today, and both the handwritten letter and telephone seem to be slowly replaced by email, texting, and various other electronic communication devices. Actually many young people will look at you with a terrified look when you speak of writing a letter ... they would sooner [hide behind technology] text than actually put pen to paper [they would actually be required to think, spell out words - correctly].
As for speaking on a phone - though many young people have cell "phones", these are used to play games, text, take photos, play music rather than actually being used to talk to others. 
What our young people have not realized is much of this form of communication is not saved for future trips down memory lane [or if a device crashes before proper back-up - the information contained within is lost], unlike a letter or card that can be safely stored and easily accessed.Don't get me wrong I love the options and benefits that technology provides, after all if it were not for the internet many of us would not have been given the opportunity to get to know each other. What I'm saying is let's not forget the "classic, elegant, timeless art of handwritten letters" because "trendy abbreviations, instant response, less thinking" can be achieved with clicks on a computer. After all you haven't stopped wearing your Little Black Dress because wearing a pant suit is fashionable now. No, you wear both....
When was the last time you sat and actually
put pen to paper, to compose a letter?
I really miss writing letters. I enjoyed it so much. It is absolutely not the same sending or receiving an e-mail. Hope you have a beautiful day!!!
ReplyDeleteLove, Kristin
When my eldest stepdaughter graduated from high school in '09, she had to send out announcements to family and friends. I refused to do it for her since she was 18 years old so she set about getting them ready for the post. I was positively shocked that not only did she not know how to address the envelope with street, city, state and zip, she didn't know what a return address and she didn't know where the stamp went. Can you believe that?
ReplyDeleteShe also thought extra postage was required to mail it to another state (which is the case with packages, but not standard mail). It's really true that letter writing and snail mail in general is becoming outdated...and that makes me sad!
I hope you have a lovely Monday, my friend. xo, A
Dearest Celia,
ReplyDeleteLOVE this post for bringing this to the attention of more people!
When traveling to Europe we did carry the fine Crane 100% stationery and Mont Blanc fountain pen. There we did pen a letter to baby Famke as on her baptism a box with letters written to her will be sealed till she's 18! Can you imagine to sit down and read all those special handwritten letters from your loved ones? For her brother Lennon we did the same two years ago. I just love this kind of traditions and it will mean a lot to them. Worth more than gold...
Love to you,
Mariette
The last time was not that long ago .. coming after an email from my son telling me that I never write letters to him anymore, that he only gets emails .
ReplyDeleteSo now I have to remember to write to him and stand for hours in our post office to mail them off. . sigh .. anything he wants, I will do .. he is my baby boy after all :)
I got a card today from my mom (in the mail.) When things get tough - items like that, make all the difference! I like old-school communication.
ReplyDeletethought provoking post.
ReplyDeleteIt must be a couple of years since I wrote a proper letter to anyone.
I do miss letter writing but, unfortunately, phones and the internet have almost replaced letters.
Most of the time it is bills that come through the letterbox, except for lovely books :)
carol
Bonjour mon ami! Thank you for the good wishes for my exams.. I am quite pleased with all of my grades.
ReplyDeleteMy children hand write thank you cards for gifts.. I always smile when I receive a card or letter in the mail. As you mentioned, it is a keepsake.
Wishing you most lovely week! xoxo, B
Dearest Celia,
ReplyDeleteOops, the above comment should of course read: 100% cotton stationery from Crane & Co... Sorry, only now I saw that after I cleaned up from supper. We're too much in a hurry all the time. But you know what? When penning a letter on such lovely cotton paper, we take our time and manage to do it perfect. Guess it is as much therapy as it gives pleasure to the receiver!
Love to you and glad you liked this tradition.
Mariette
Oh I love this post because I couldn't agree with you more! I love a hand written note and loath when I receive a "thank you note" via email...shame, shame! So this is just such a great topic!
ReplyDeleteNice to see you again my sweet friend and hope you are doing well!
Terry
One of the things on my to do list today is to sit down and write thank you cards to a few close people who have helped me as of late. It always means so much to me when I get a handwritten thank you or note. I think letter writing is a lost art form. xo
ReplyDeleteI do use the internet to talk with the lovelies on a daily basis HOWEVER, I also sit down and write them letters because they, just like me, LOVE getting mail! I also hand write birthday cards, thank yous, sympathy, etc. And, my daily journal is hand written!
ReplyDeleteOh do you know I actually find it almost 'hurts' to write now? I do it so infrequently that holding a pen and writing anything more than a quick list feels so awkward and odd. Quite dreadful.
ReplyDeleteOh I have always wanted one of those US mailboxes!
Love this post! I think I'll go now and write a letter. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteI love letters! I am en route to Canada now, but I think you are outside of Toronto? I will be in Sarnia for 5days, was hoping to make it to Toronto this trip but will have to wait for the next one...alot of family to see... Have a great week Celia! I will toast you on Canadian soil!
ReplyDeleteNathalie
What memories this brought back for me. My mom's sister -so , my aunt lived a few hours away and we used to write letters to each other. Nice long letters about what we were doing - very " boring" stuff. Oh - how I loved it. She passed away a few years ago to the cancer and I have not written a lettter since. As a matter of fact , I found one of the leters she wrote me while cleaning a few months ago and just can't read it. I know I will cry and just can't bring myself to read it. We would add recipes and little magazine clippings. Stickers on the colored envelopes. swet memories. Thank you .
ReplyDeleteHave a pretty day,
Kristin
Stopping by from FF&P!
ReplyDeleteI love this post because I happen to send cards fairly often to the people I love who don't live closeby. I LOVE getting cards in the mail (instead of bills!) so I try to send cards out frequently.
I remember the first Christmas my hubby and I were dating and I sent thank you cards to all of his family and he was shocked and so were they! His aunt and uncle said that they had never gotten a thank you note.
Hopefully letters and cards will come back one day :)
Stopping by from FF&P...what a great post. It is so true, we have all forgotten the simplest and oldest form of communication. As much as I love the technology too, it can be a bit evil if you let it :)
ReplyDeleteI love receiving letters and cards in the mail. I actually save all of the ones I get. Everyone forgets how fun it is to get something in the regular mail nowadays!
ReplyDelete:)
Oh it's been years...New technology suck...Love ya
ReplyDeleteHave a good day sweetie!
XO
I love writing letters, so I did one just yesterday!
ReplyDeleteI actually blogged about a new event coming up called 52 Weeks of Mail by the Etsy Greetings Team. If you love to write, you should check this project out! http://www.thetshirtmama.com/2011/09/thirty-by-30-no-24-in-works.html
(Coming over from FF&P!)
you raise such a good point, but I have to admit I am one of those youth that would much rather send a text or email that pick up the phone and call
ReplyDeleteI'm a stickler for hand-written thank you notes. That's what you do - never send an email. Alas, too many people do that these days. When my husband and I were dating, we lived in different cities, so we often wrote to each other. I loved coming home, checking my mailbox and finding a letter from him. Alas, I can't recall the last time I received an actual letter in the mail. A dying art, indeed.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone noticed that after typing all the time , your handwriting is a bit on the terrible/illegible side ?
ReplyDeleteI will have to practice writing again I think :)
besitos
I couldn't have agreed with you more. I can't believe that letter writing has become almost non-existant but it has. If you ask someone to send you a letter or even a note, they don't have time.
ReplyDeleteMy kids never call on the phone, they only text and I think that is horrible. I doubt either of them could sit down and write a letter without using the "texting" alphabet. Such a shame.
I still like the written word and when my mom passed away imagine my delight when I came across a bag of cards that I had sent her for birthdays, and holidays dating back 20 years!
Great post.
Kris
I'm addicted to the Internet (re emails, Facebook, etc.) but I must say that I miss getting a real letter or card in the mail.
ReplyDelete