A love letter to handwritten cards

This is the last Christmas card I received from my grandparents, Janet and Dale, before they both unexpectedly passed away the following year.

It’s a keepsake I’ve loved and treasured over the years, so much so that I’ve carried it around with me, always easily accessible when I want to revisit my grandmother’s handwriting.

It’s not the only physical piece of them I have left, but it’s the most meaningful. There’s a worn, striped, patterned blanket that once sat on their couch under my bed, an Eeyore coffee mug my grandmother once used on my shelf, and a cheap lamp (like this one) I’ve tried (and failed) to let go of many times near my storage room.

As the distance between their departures and the present day widens, my attachment to these items, minus the handwritten card, shrinks little by little. They’re important to me because they belonged to my grandparents, but I may not keep them forever.

But the handwritten Christmas card from 2014 will never lose the tangible, lasting comfort and deep emotional connection it provides me in moments when I’d give anything to receive another card from them.

The value of handwritten cards and letters

Digital communication (emails, texts, even digital greeting cards) unsurprisingly dominates our technologically savvy world. The mechanisms we’ve created make it easier to reach our loved ones in just a few clicks. While digital communication offers its own benefits, our grandparents really had it all figured out: nothing provides more comfort, connection, and care (especially when someone’s gone) than a handwritten card to remember them by.

Handwriting is so profoundly personal and intentional, and handwritten cards and letters provide benefits to both the writer and recipient, including:

• Tangible links to the people we once knew: Unlike texts, emails, and other transient messages in a digital landscape, handwritten cards and letters become cherished keepsakes and treasures. The actual handwriting of another human being provides a direct, tangible link to them, something that feels even more precious when it’s a card from a loved one who is no longer physically present.

• Connections wrapped in care and love: Spending any amount of time handwriting a card or letter in a world that offers keyboards at every turn is inherently intentional. It’s time-consuming. It requires care (and might even need some deliberate planning to find the right card, paper, and pen). I don’t know about you, but whenever someone hands or sends me something they've written, I feel loved, valued, and important to them. (And I hope that’s true for anyone who receives handwritten cards from me.)

• A non-replicable personal uniqueness: Don’t get me wrong, I love a polished note, a visually appealing digital card, and the Playfair Display and Poppins font combination. But you know what I love more? Your weird handwriting quirks. The way your letters change size and shape. How your handwriting slopes up or down after writing for too long. Your misspellings, margin drawings, and most certainly, the sign-off you choose and the way you write your name. No one can ever do it quite like you.

• The mindfulness and presence required to slow down and write: Writing is hard! Writing by hand is (for many, myself included) even tougher. The process of slowly choosing stationery and sitting down to write is a stark contrast to hurried modern life. Yet, it’s an activity worth not rushing.

And a few more benefits worth noting in this piece, “The Psychology Of a Handwritten Card: How It Benefits Both The Sender And The Receiver,” by Katee Fletcher.

These are the aspects I think about when I hold the Christmas card from my grandparents: how beautifully unique my grandmother’s handwriting is, how lucky I am to have something tangible she created to keep, how much they loved me, and how intentional she was in choosing a Christmas card and writing a personalized note inside.

A handwritten card challenge for you

✍🏻 To honor her and this lasting gift, your challenge is to write a handwritten card or letter to a friend, coworker, or loved one this holiday season. Just one. (But of course, feel free to put on your overachiever hat here.)

And I want to hear about it! Reply to this email (or email me directly) and tell me all about it in as much or as little detail as you’d like.

Stationery inspo for your handwritten cards this season

From what I know about all of you, this likely isn’t a new concept, and you might even already have everything you need to do this because you do it frequently. But I rounded up a few of my favorites for anyone who needs supplies inspiration:

• If you need to pick up cards or stationery, I always recommend finding a local stationery store. (You support small artists and local businesses!) If you’re local to the Denver area, Wordshop is my favorite.

• If you’re short on time but would love to snag some holiday-themed cards, here are a few fun bulk packs:

  • Decorably Pink Christmas Cards (24 pack)*

  • Hallmark Thomas Kinkade Boxed Christmas Cards Assortment (24 pack)*

  • American Greetings Happy Moments Marshmallow Man Holiday Card (12 pack)*

  • Hallmark Peanuts Boxed Christmas Cards Assortment (16 pack)*

• And because I love pen recommendations, here are some of my favorites:

  • Pilot FriXion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Ink Pens* (colorful and erasable!)

  • Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller Pens* (I’ll love these forever, but beware of smudging!)

  • Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens* (My favorite pen + marker hybrid.)

No physical item can ever fill the void we carry when we lose someone. But I hope you always remember how much your loved ones will cherish the pieces of you that you choose to leave behind and share with them. May you always (or even occasionally) scribble messy lists, leave a handwritten note on the counter, or pour your feelings into a handwritten card.

Time well spent: weekly roundup

1. I shared a story about one of my cats, Yeti, and his experience attempting to eat celery, on Threads last weekend, and the replies brought me joy for days.

2. Do Your Family Traditions Need a Refresh? Here Are Some Signs — And Suggestions for Creating New Ones by Stephanie Friedman for Nice News - I don’t think we talk about refreshing traditions (especially holiday traditions) enough. This piece has some practical tips.

3. On the topic of holiday cards, Carolyn Clark wrote a brilliant case for work holiday cards on LinkedIn. Read it and maybe start a new tradition with your team this year.

Your next intentional move

• When was the last time something simple made you laugh or smile for days? What does that tell you about what you need more of?

• How can you honor the spirit of a tradition while still allowing it to evolve?

• How might a simple, thoughtful gesture at work create a sense of belonging or celebration?

Check out the full list of intentional prompts and share it with someone you love!

I’m Alyssa Towns, and this is Time Intentional, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally. Extend your love and support by sharing this newsletter with someone you know or buying me a coffee! ☕

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