Celebrating National Send A Card To A Friend Day 2024

In the 21st century, millions of people use social media instead of other modes of communication that were once popular, such as letter writing. Although social media can make it easier to talk to someone across the country or even the world, it can also mean communication tends to be faster, shorter, and not as focused on storytelling or connecting in the long term. National Send a Card to a Friend Day (NSCFD) is a holiday developed to address this challenge and encourage people to send more cards to friends and other loved ones. For professional guidance in fostering deeper connections with others, consider working with a licensed therapist in person or online.

What is National Send a Card to a Friend Day? 

National Send a Card to a Friend Day occurs on February 7th and can serve as an encouragement to send love to friends via mail. Although the origins and history of National Send a Card Day are unknown, it was likely founded to bring attention to the importance of showing cards and letters with loved ones since the invention of the internet. 

The history of sending mail as a form of connection

Greeting cards were first sold commercially in the 1400s, but people may have made and shared their own cards and letters long before that. Greeting cards and sending cards to friends may date back to ancient China and Egypt. Ancient Egyptians typically used papyrus to write letters, and Chinese cultures would often write cards to loved ones to celebrate the Chinese New Year. 

In the 1700s, the US Post Office Department was created, which soon became the United States Postal Service (USPS), enabling people to send letters to others in different cities, states, and, eventually, countries. When telegrams and telephones were invented, letters remained a popular way to stay in touch with others, allowing people worldwide to share stories, connect over shared interests, and send compliments. Early greeting cards had a different aesthetic than modern-day cards, like this one designed by Charles Bennett in 1866. Greeting cards were a personal way of saying short and sweet messages that could be received with pictures, drawings, or another sweet gesture.

Celebrate National Send a Card to a Friend Day

To celebrate National Send a Card to a Friend Day, try the following ways to share love and joy or express emotions. 

Send a card to a friend 

The central premise of NSCFD is generally to send a card to a friend, but you can send a card to anyone in your life, including a partner, acquaintance, coworker, or family member. To celebrate National Send a Card to a Friend Day, consider multiple formats of greetings. Popular types of greeting cards to send may include the following: 

• Cards to celebrate a holiday

• A funny card

• Photo cards to share family memories

• Valentine’s Day cards

• Sympathy cards 

• Thank you cards

• Wedding cards

• Birthday cards

• Congratulations cards

• “I miss you” cards 

• A general “National Send a Card to a Friend Day” card 

According to the Greeting Card Association, the most popular occasions for sending cards tend to be birthdays and holidays. However, you don’t necessarily need a special occasion to send a card to a friend. You can also buy a blank card at the store or make your own card to send with motivational messages, kind words, or memories. 

Write a meaningful letter

Greeting cards are often made to be short and impersonal. However, if you have many sentiments you’d like to share with someone in your life, it might be more meaningful to send a letter. Letters can be personal because they can be written in your handwriting in a long-form way you might not be able to send online or with a greeting card. 

Letters can be exciting to send, as your friend may have something to look forward to in the mail as you write back and forth, and they’re meaningful because we have to take time out of our busy lives to send them. To personalize your letters, consider adding stickers, pressed flowers, postcards, and other small findings from your life to share with your friends. You also don’t have to live far away to send or give a letter, as letters may be just as appreciated by someone you see more often. 

Write a letter you’ll never send in a journal

If you don’t have someone in your life you’d like to send a card to, or you want to share sentiments with someone who is no longer in your life, such as a deceased friend or someone you no longer talk to, you can celebrate this day by writing a letter you’ll never send in a journal or on paper. This practice can be similar to journaling, as it allows you to put your emotions and thoughts on paper in the form of expressive writing, which has been associated with improved mental health. 

To make this practice a positive ritual, you might decide to bury, burn, or rip up the letter afterward. If the letter is for someone you’ve lost who you loved, you might keep it under your pillow for one night as you sleep, as a way to feel closer to their memory. You can also put it in an envelope with herbs, charms, or other memories to keep with you until you’re ready to open and reread it. 

Give yourself a card

If you don’t have a social circle, you might consider writing a letter to yourself to try to start a positive friendship with yourself. Self-love can be as important as expressing care for those in your life, and it can be a way to build confidence, self-esteem, and mental wellness. In your letter to yourself, consider the following prompts: 

• What would you say to your child self if they were here with you? 

• Write a letter to yourself in 10 years to open later.

• What are five aspects of your personality you love? 

• What are you proud of yourself for achieving? 

• What are memories or stories that give you joy in remembering independently?

• What do you wish you could believe about yourself? 

Prompts for cards 

If you’re unsure what to write about when sending a card or letter to your friend, you might consider the following prompts: 

• Write about aspects of your life that have reminded you of them lately. 

• Write a list of your inside jokes and memories with your friend. 

• Create a visual playlist on paper for your friend to look up online. 

• Write about your three favorite memories with your friend. 

• Write about what’s happening in your daily life and how it makes you feel.

• Ask your friend questions about their life. 

• Write about a recent trip you had and all the memories you made. 

• Write about the weather where you are and the differences in culture, location, or events in your location. 

• Write about your day. 

• Write about the reasons you love your friend. 

• Write a letter about your and your friend’s past selves and how you have grown together to get where you are today. 

• Tell a story about your first memory together. 

• Thank your friend for everything they do for you. 

• Share jokes or funny stories.

• Make a collage of photos and memories, such as plane tickets, to share with them in the letter. 

• Include recipes, tips, and valuable ideas in your letter or card. 

• Write a poem or story. 

• Explain why you love them. 

• Write about your dreams for the future. 

• Write about your hobbies and interests. 

• Talk about memories you want to make with them in the future. 

Sending a card or letter 

If you want to send a pre-made card, consider looking online or in a local store. A greeting card store like Hallmark usually sells pre-made cards with greetings. You can sign the card or add a note if you want. These cards often come with an envelope to seal it in. Don’t forget the stamp! You can then buy a stamp at your local grocery store or post office and mail the card using the free mailboxes outside your local USPS.

Sending letters or homemade cards can be similar, but you may have to buy the supplies, such as an envelope, pen, paper, and postage. If you send a heavy card or package, you may need to use more than one stamp, depending on the destination. You can talk to your local post office representative for further guidance. 

Support options 

Friendships can be crucial for mental health and well-being, and experts suggest that human connection can improve overall health. However, socializing and making friends can be challenging, and not having someone to send a card to may contribute to feelings of loneliness. In these cases, it could be helpful to talk to a therapist. 

If you’re living with a challenge like social anxiety, depression, or chronic stress, talking to a therapist online through a platform like BetterHelp may be more available to you than in-person therapy options. You can choose between phone, video, and live chat sessions through an online platform. Chat sessions may be more comfortable for those with severe social anxiety. You can also send messages to your therapist throughout the day and receive responses as they are available. 

Studies show that online therapy can be effective in treating anxiety, depression, and stress, which tend to be common causes of social isolation and loneliness. In some cases, online therapy may be more effective in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life than in-person options. In addition, online therapy can be more affordable for some people.