A letter sent on an ordinary day

Do you have the habit of sending letters?

Especially before this self-restraint period, I wrote letters almost every month.
Addressing it to family and friends, including small gifts, or to the performers when you go to see a show that you enjoy. It may be a bit unusual for people of my generation.

We live in an age where communication is easy with information terminals. During the self-isolation period, I also spent hours talking with friends on group calls.
However, I think that writing words on paper and sending them conveys feelings in a different way.

Email and video calls are good, but why not use your time at home to send someone a letter?

This time, I would like to talk to you with the hope that you will not think of letters as something special, but rather enjoy them more casually as a way to write down the little things you feel in your daily life.

What can be conveyed through handwriting?

Among the letters that occasionally arrive at my house, there are postcards from relatives living abroad. They are beautiful postcards of places they visited on vacation, and contain simple words or brief updates on their lives. They live in faraway countries and I haven't seen them for over 10 years, but I feel their presence very close. I'm somehow very happy to receive a letter that they send "just because they thought of it," even though there is nothing special about it.

Some are written carefully, some scribbled, some with mistakes corrected here and there. It is said that "handwriting expresses one's character," but I think the appeal of handwritten letters is that you can imagine how the other person wrote them.

It's just a way to convey "feelings"

There are two things I pay attention to when writing letters. These are purely personal preferences, but if you keep them in mind, I think the recipient will be pleased when receiving the letter.

Be as concise as possible

Don't write too heavily, and convey your feelings as succinctly as possible. You're not a professional writer, so you don't need to use beautiful sentences or difficult phrases.

For example, in the case of the "stage performers" mentioned above, when you have just seen a performance, you tend to be in high spirits and have a lot of things you want to write about. However, if you have written too much on the receipt when you receive it, the intended message won't be conveyed. Instead, focus on one key point and write something like, "It was good overall, but the thing that impressed me the most was XX."

When writing to a friend, the topic may be divided into several parts, but be conscious not to make each one too long. If you keep this in mind, you can avoid the situation where you end up not knowing what you want to say, which is common when you are not used to writing.

There is no need to write a reply

And when I write, I know that if my feelings are conveyed to the other person, I don't mind if they throw the letter away.
I say "throw it away" because I'm not writing with the intention of giving something as a gift. Rather than whether the letter will remain or not, I think the most important thing is whether the message I wrote gets through to the recipient, whether they feel happy or relieved.

Letter paper and envelopes

You can send a letter using a postcard, but I recommend using stationery and an envelope! You don't have to worry about the stationery getting dirty, and it's exciting to open it.
For those who don't usually write letters, we'll introduce some recommended ways to choose.

Have a standard letter set

First, it's good to have something simple that can be used for anyone. It's good to have something that can be sent to anyone, from formal occasions such as thank you notes or celebration notes to simple cover letters.

There were three points I purchased.

The first is that it gives off a calm impression. It's not flashy, but simple enough that it will never go wrong no matter who you give it to.

The second is that the volume is just right. The envelope is not too large, and the plain letter paper allows you to adjust the amount of writing. If you want to write a lot, use the whole page, but if it's just a cover letter, you can write just 2-3 lines in the center.

The third reason was that I could choose the combination. The envelopes, letter paper, and liners were all sold separately, so I was free to choose the combination I wanted. The excitement and fun of purchasing them was what made me decide to buy them.

A "winner's envelope" for when it really counts

My favorite envelopes that I've been using for years.

When you open it and look inside, you'll find a little trick inside, a design full of ideas and playfulness. It's a piece of work that will be appreciated even if you send it without a letter inside. It's not just a way to convey your feelings, but also when the time spent reading the letter becomes a memory... I use it for those special occasions.

What got me started using this was when I saw it and was impressed. When sending a letter to someone, it's good to match it to the recipient's tastes, but when I use something that I think is nice, I get excited.

If you're not good at thinking up sentences or writing letters, you could write a message on a postcard or use a pop-up card (a letter with a motif that pops out).

Nowadays, you don't need to go to a specialty store to buy a lot of nice things, and some of the things I have were purchased at 100 yen shops. First, try to find something you like from places close to you.

Choose a pen

If you can afford it, having a pen that suits you will make your writing experience more enjoyable.

I have a few favorites, but the one on the left is a ballpoint pen from LAMY, a long-established German brand.
One thing worth mentioning is how easy it is to hold. The shape of the pen fits your fingers well and doesn't tire your fingers, so I use it when I need to write a little more.

The one in the center of the photo is a gift from my mother. It's a brand from a long-established stationery store, and it writes very smoothly. It can be switched to a red pen or mechanical pencil, so when I want to write on the go, I only take this pen and a letter set with me.

The one on the right in the photo is a gel-type ballpoint pen that you can get anywhere. I've been buying these ever since I used them during my job hunt. They dry quickly and don't smudge! I use them when I want to write something quickly during the intermission at a show.

I think that even with the same sentence, the impression of the words changes slightly depending on the darkness and thickness of the letters. It's also interesting to line up all the ballpoint pens you have and compare which one writes best.

Don't worry, just take it easy

For those who are not used to sending letters when they have no business or reports to make, it may be a hurdle. I think it feels like a hurdle not only because of the hassle it takes for yourself, but also because you are concerned about the other person, such as "will the recipient be surprised?" or "will they expect a reply?"
But what if you were the one receiving it? I'm sure many of you would be happy.

Now that we can't meet the people we want to see, letters are a great way to convey emotion. Even if there's nothing special going on, try picking up your pen without thinking too deeply about it and with the same casual attitude as if you were commenting on social media.

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