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handwritten letters
The last few weeks, I have been having an age crisis.
My niece just turned eighteen, the very same one I taught in Nursery at church. The very same one who, when she was a year old, I remember pushing her in a shopping cart, when she rubbed her sweet little hand over mine. Her skin was so impossibly soft, that the moment left an indelible impression on me.
Next, my son will be turning twelve on Friday. How in the world did that happen? Add greater significance to that, my youngest child just turned six, which means he only has twelve years until he’s eighteen. And though I know one never stops being a parent, this month marks the technical mid-point of raising my children.
Then of course, yesterday was Valentine’s Day. And I was feeling very thirty-six, and very single.
I feel like we’re just barreling through our lives, surviving from one experience to the next, that I keep forgetting to have this fully-examined life that my tenth grade English teacher was always exhorting us to have. And then I realize that I do look around at my life, quite often, actually, and what I have found is that everything around me is moving fast, too.
A few weeks ago, I was shocked at how much different our lives are now from how they were just a few years ago. I was watching an old rerun of Mad About You (Can you believe that show was on twenty years ago??), and Jamie and Paul were on vacation in Las Vegas. Jamie was sitting on the couch writing something on a piece of paper, and Paul asked what she was doing.
Jamie told him she was writing to her sister, and then Paul started babbling about how they were just about to leave, and why did Jamie have to be writing to her sister when they were going to see her in just a couple of days.
Then Jamie shoved the paper at him and said, “Here, say hello.”
He whined a bit, and then Jamie insisted. Paul sighed, scribbled something on the piece of paper, handed it back, and she was happy.
When I saw the little exchange, I was shocked. If Jamie and Paul were on that vacation now, they’d each have cell phones, and Jamie would have just called her sister every day of the trip. Or they would’ve emailed. Or Skyped. Or facetimed.
Can you believe it? Just fifteen years ago, we were in that world. The letter-writing world.
And I don’t want all of that world to completely slip away. Years ago, and still today in some circles, the mark of a well-brought-up person was how well they could craft a letter. I thought it would be fun to go back to when letter-writing was a true art, and so I went to this fantastic store in Salt Lake City called Tabula Rasa (which I absolutely love, by the way), and bought each of my kids some nice stationery, ink, and pens—the kind they would need to dip.
We had a delightful time. My nephew is serving a mission, as a representative for our church in Knoxville, Tennessee, so we decided to write to him first. Before anyone wrote on the stationery, they practiced using their pens on brown paper.
My oldest son got right to work.
My daughter tried out her new cursive,
and my littlest wrote his name the very best he could in yellow, his favorite color. He was quite happy with it.
When we were done, we got out some sealing wax and stamps, and sealed up the envelopes.
I think we should make a habit of this. And maybe then, time will slow down, even if it’s just a little.
What about you? Do you miss writing letters?
32 Responses to “handwritten letters”
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And I have a sudden urge to run to the store to buy inkwells, pens, ink and sealing wax. Love. Absolutely love.
Thanks, Shaina!! You should. It’s SO fun! We need to find a feather pen now, too!
Next week: writing a letter with a typewriter.
Now I also want to write a beautiful letter. It sure doesn’t seem that long ago that we were so much more into letter writing. I use to love writing, pretty pens, and nice paper, so much I even got a penmanship award in school. But now it’s just chicken scratch. It’s sad
I love writing letters. Even more, I love checking the mailbox and seeing some snail mail. I think it is a lost art, but I, for one, truly appreciate sending/receiving a handwritten letter. It is so special and I will certainly pass that along to my kids someday! Great job. P.S. I love the yellow ink too!
I’m just feeling OLD right now. My mom just sent the kids cards and stamps so that they can start writing her. Maybe we will try this to, she’ll be so impressed.
Hi Jamie,
My 10 year old son and I broke out the calligraphy pens to make our valentines. Today I went shopping in Essex, Connecticut with some friends and saw the cutest letter-writing kit, complete with stamps, ceiling wax, and yes, a feather pen!! I didn’t get it though.
Also, I made your mini chocolate bundt cakes with the ganache for our valentines day treat! They came out great, and my whole famil loved them. Thanks for a delicious recipe!!
Donna
Oops, I meant SEALING wax!! ha ha ha!
Hahaha! I used to think it was spelled that way for years!! Any time I heard the song “Puff the Magic Dragon” when I was a kid, I always wondered why you would need wax for a ceiling, and what on earth it had to do with drugs!
So glad your chocolate mini bundts came out! And that is so cool how you used calligraphy for your Valentines!
Thanks, Rebecca!!
mad about you was 20 years ago!?
truly there is nothing like a handwritten letter. i love texts and calls from my parents but miss seeing their handwriting. and what sweet little letter writers you have.
I am with you, anything to slow things down, kids grow up too too fast.
Love the idea of being in the moment! Letter writing should never be a lost art
Hi Jaimie, aboslutely love love love this! I’ve got to do this with my kids. It looks like we’re only a few days apart, and it has always felt like I knew you somehow
My New Year’s resolution this year was to start writing letters again. I was inspired after reading a box of letters from my University Days. It felt like a treasure. I have only sent one so far, but I am trying to send at least one a month. My cousin just left for England on her mission a few days ago, so she will be a grateful recipient. Love the pens and ink bottles, I’m amazed they are still available. Thanks for the inspiration to make it beautiful!
I used to love Mad About You. 20 years? Ouch. I’m even further into my 30′s than you are. It’s a little bit hard…
Jane—Good luck for your resolution, and best wishes to your cousin on her mission.
Jaime, getting our my glass pens & dipping ink is a very special treat for my kids. I got my first pen at Tabula Rasa in Salt Lake when I was a missionary on Temple Square…now the collection has grown as birthday gifts from my dearest.
You are making treasured memories for your kids & memorable treasures for your nephew.
We don’t quite write letters, but we send everyone postcards from everywhere we go. And I just looove it when I find one in the mailbox.
I just found your site and was thinking about how cool it was on my run…then I remembered you! We were in the same ward our Freshman year at BYU. I was the gal that went to the American Fork training center with you all those Saturdays way back when. We would push the wheelchairs to the movie theater so the patients could watch their saturday movie. Don’t know if you remember that..I was Sarah Matthews then. Congrats on having a popular and beautiful blog! My husband has a popular blog in the running world…fastrunningblog.com It’s like an online running community. He made it in the days before facebook.
Yes, of course, Sarah!! How are you??
I’m good..I live in Orem…and found your site when I saw the info about you speaking at the Orem library..maybe I’ll come and see you then. I’ve been married for the last 15 years to a guy I met when I was a teenager in Russia. We have 7 kids now and are surviving and trying to love it. We homeschool and I’m excited to read more of your blog for some inspiration on fun things to do with my kiddos. I probably have kids all of your kids ages…fun to run into you this way.
Few feelings beat the excitement of receiving a hand-written letter in the mail. In a time where we’re so used to the printed word, letters that have been written by hand show almost-forgotten thought and effort. They capture our interest and our imagination, and they make us feel special.
You can send a hand-written letter without leaving your own home or office. Our letters are suitable for personal or business use, and we’re able to write letters in bulk for successful mass mailings with that individual touch. With us, your letters are worth attention.
Few feelings beat the excitement of receiving a hand-written letter in the mail. In a time where we’re so used to the printed word, letters that have been written by hand show almost-forgotten thought and effort. They capture our interest and our imagination, and they make us feel special. You can send a hand-written letter without leaving your own home or office. Our letters are suitable for personal or business use, and we’re able to write letters in bulk for successful mass mailings with that individual touch. With us, your letters are worth attention.
http://handwritten-letters.co.uk/
I’ve just participated in the A Month of Letters Challenge, where I wrote and mailed a letter every day in February. So sad it’s over! But of course, I can keep writing as much as I want, right?
Yesterday a civil servant asked me to fill some boring paper form. Yes, we still have that in my country ..:)
And I realized – I have almost forgotten how to write using a pen. I got somehow scared about it. Now I own an old fashioned quill and two small buckets of ink and I’ve decided to rewrite regularly some texts I love on paper.
Yes, I miss it greatly and sometimes I do picture our world without modern machines and computers.
Imagine we have invented a time machine .. How many people do you think would prefer to stay in the present?
I stumbled upon your site and haven’t moved in the last hour! I am having so much fun. My daughter and I love the idea of beets to make your red velvet cake. We actually needed to make pink frosting and while we didn’t have beets, we did have raspberries. We went from there but that’s not where I’m headed.
It’s the letter writing that solidified my love of your blog! I write constantly, for work and personal, and my recipients love getting the notes. It is a little touch that has made a difference in our business. I thought your readers might like the site I use … Cardeblanche.com. The owner, Lori, is amazing to work with! Check it out when you have time.
Thanks for all the fun!
Thanks, Suzanne! I’m glad you’re enjoying my site. And I will definitely look up that website!
Vasil—I wonder the same thing myself.
There is something transcendent and timeless to writing by hand, isn’t there?
I have to admit – I just ‘found’ you and your blog. Have to admit also, I have just spent a delicious two hours perusing your insights and amazing photographs!
What a great idea to share with your children… the almost lost art of the hand written, personal note. I have an almost addiction to stationery and cards, and can’t seem to pass up anything letterpress “on sale”! Whenever I get the chance, it’s a hand written note for me. Thanks for sharing this endearing talent with your children!!
Thanks, Sadie! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my blog. Don’t you love letterpress? It just makes me happy.
I totally agree with you! We must do what we can to pass down the beautiful handwriting skills. It seems to be slowly becoming a lost art.
My 6 yr. old granddaughter and I write letters back and forth a couple times each month. She and her family live 9 hrs away and I was looking for ways she and I could stay close because of the distance. For her last birthday, we gave her art supplies which she requested and along with watercolors we gave her pretty pens and paper and included stamped envelopes with our address already penned on them. She loves writing stories and letters to us along with sending us pieces of her art and vice versa. It not only helps her with her writing skills but her mommy tells me that she can’t wait to check the mailbox everyday now, anticipating another letter addressed to her.
I loved your post and so glad I happened upon finding your blog today.
Thanks,
Lee Ann
That’s wonderful, Lee Ann. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do with my kids on a regular basis, but is one of those things that time and life insanity push to the bottom of my list. I’m glad someone is doing it!