End of year review, 2025 edition

On the stamp front, the year started with an issue of stamps celebrating the British TV series, The Vicar of Dibley with Dawn French as the vicar. I did buy some of this issue. I am an atheist but did enjoy the episodes of this show I watched. 2026 will start with Stranger Things!

The music giant issue chosen for this year was AC/DC. I do like their music and did buy stamps. One of my favourite AC/DC songs is Thunderstruck. 

Nature appeared in a few issues this year. Garden Wildlife, Fungi, and Ducks, all worthy subjects but perhaps could have been better. 

Children's literature was celebrated with The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (I didn't mind The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but didn't read any others), and also somewhat by Peanuts, comic strip and cartoon about Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy. 

Another reasonable issue was Myths and Legends, with Beowulf among others. 

World War 2 was marked yet again on stamps, perhaps not a bad thing considering the state of the world at the moment... with horrors forgotten.

Large stamps but otherwise good were the stamps commemorating 350 years of the founding of The Royal Observatory at Greenwich (I've stood either side of Greenwich Meridian), as were the Monty Python stamps too. 

Trains also made another appearance, with the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Choo choo!

October saw some fun stamps - celebrating the board game, Monopoly. I haven't played this game in years (prefer other board games), although we do have a Welsh version. 

In November, I hardly bothered with the Christmas issue, no secular option again (no snowmen, no winter scenes with postboxes, no panto...). However, I did buy some stamps later in the month celebrating the stamps of Queen Victoria's reign but Royal Mail has been marking some mailings with these as postage as, "No longer valid for postage," which is absolute !!!!!!!!! 

On the letter writing front, I ran into snobbery - with etiquette and all that malarkey inferring that there's only one way to write letters and that is on expensive heavyweight unlined paper using a fountain pen with blue/black ink... again, utter !!!!!!!!!

The February letter writing challenges weren't as good as before... what with posts either being automatically marked as spam with no comeback, or when trying to update postal rates, unable to correct because it looks like I'd already said the same thing (but not the same - different numbers). Royal Mail raised postal rates twice, with airmail going from £2.80, to £3.20 in April, and then to £3.40  in October. The only small silver lining is that £3.40 can be made with just 2 1st class stamps, with so much choice of 1st class stamp available! £3.40, according to an exchange rate today is $4.58. USPS postage from the US to the UK is only $1.70. 

In July, my forum turned 10. With summer weather being decent, I was needing to do non-snail mail activities... It is still small... but the connections made make up for it. New thread for Five Questions, Answer by Snail Mail for January 2026 is open. 

I know I can't write to everyone... clash of personalities maybe, or topics of letters not interesting perhaps... Letters can't all be sweetness and light... Letters can be mismatched in length, content, may seem somewhat superficial with small talk (the weather... urgh, Storm Bram wasn't particularly wonderful for us), but if you can't write about things important to you without the recipient empathising at the very least... well.. you find out who your real friends are when you are in trouble/difficulty. 

Plans for 2026... Perhaps a silly idea but I've started something new for February. Putting final touches to Let's Write Letters Month. It'll be on a forum... 

Musings for the new year, 2023

Snail Mail, the sending of letters through the post may seem outdated in the digital & internet age, but there are people finding doing this offline activity enjoyable, and stress-reducing. The analogue nature, the wait for the response adds to the relaxing nature of the hobby. Letters can demand to be answered but usually there is not the urgency that emails command. 

How do we attract new people to the hobby, when there is a cost of living crisis? As I type, to send a regular letter within the UK costs 68p with a second class stamp. What else can you get for 68p? The cost of stationery used for a letter can be mere pennies. You don’t need expensive paper, nor costly pens to write a letter. You don’t need to use papers specifically designed for letters, though when I have bought such sets (paper with matching envelopes), the ratio of sheets to envelopes is wrong for my requirements (2 pages of A5 is not enough, and these writing set sheets are mostly decorated on one side, and/or perhaps the other side is not suitable for writing on). Then, there are notecards, but for longer missives, paper needs to be added in. 

Maybe letter writing is an excuse for some people to use their fountain pens. It was someone associated with the fountain pen industry who started the February letter writing project called InCoWriMo, where participants write a letter every day in the month. A way to practise penmanship, cursive handwriting, or even calligraphy. The latter is more of an art form rather than a flow of words. 

But this can give the impression letter writing is a snobby hobby! I have received letters written with fountain pens worth over £1000. Does that make those letters worth more than ones written with cheap ballpoint or gel pens? No. It is the words / content of the letter that matters to me, but if writing with a nice pen brings joy to the writer… I’m all for that. 

How do you find penpals? There are various penpalling sites out there, both more traditional sites, and places on social media. I have tried a few, with very much a mixed success. One size does not fit all. My way of snailmailing may not suit everyone. It may also take you time to find your style as well. Friendships take time, and may not work for everyone. How many people in your classes at school would you refer to as good friends then, and how many of them now? 

When I started this blog, there were several more snailmail blogs. Now, there aren't that many regularly updated. A shame. Everything seems to be on Instagram, with pretty pictures, rather than words and something to read & engage the mind. I'm tired of the algorithms social media use making it harder to see what I want to see and so I missed out on many posts by penfriends & other snailmail people I was following. Pictures, images, instant gratification. And as for the birdplace, well... that is another kettle of fish.

Snailmail is not an elite hobby.

A to Z of Snail Mail - part 1

 I thought it would be fun to do an A to Z of Snail Mail. Easier said than done. Needed help & suggestions! 

A is for Address book, and also for Air Mail, Air Mail labels, aerogrammes, anticipation...

B is for Box of postcards, Best Wishes...

C is for Christmas cards sent by penpals, but also for cartridges fountain pens might use, calligraphy, and correspondence can contain caring and compassion.

D is for delivery, Diamine inks, and letters bring delight.

E is for envelope, and no matter how hard you push, it is stationery. Excitement & enlightenment.

F is for fountain pens. 

G is for General Post Office.

H is for Home (address), handwritten letters, and handwriting.

I is for ink, and also InCoWriMo, and international mail....

J is for Jolly letters written in J. Herbin ink (other inks are available). 

K is for the Kindness found in many letters, written perhaps with Krishna Ink.

L is for Letter, letter writing, letter writing paper, Lamy fountain pens & ink, letter openers, letterbox, and Love from..

M is for Mail, both incoming and outgoing missives mailed...

Part two later, but feel free to comment with your suggestions. Haven't gotten ideas yet for some of the other letters...

The end is nigh, of 2020 that is.

Well, I don't think there are many people who would want to prolong the year (except to rewind and then do things differently).. but there have been good moments. I have continued to write letters throughout the year. Savings from not going out as much, meant I could spend some money on my main hobby, that of letter writing. I bought some more stationery associated with snail mail. 

I have been enjoying using wax seals. These are some of the new ones I have bought this year. There are more!

Then, there is also washi tape, and stickers. This is one of my latest purchases and I have yet to use this. I will, I promise!

And then, there is the writing implement and fluid. Here are just a couple of my new pens, and also one of the inks I purchased. I really am impressed with this particular ink. 

The cost of sending a letter has increased. Postage has increased. It increased at the end of March, and again in early September. And now, to start off 2021, it rises again. There isn't really much choice but to use at least the correct postage. I cannot imagine my world without being able to send letters and postcards. Although post this year is not getting to all destinations. 

So, in preparation for the postage rate increase, I have ordered some stamps from Royal Mail. First class stamp now is 76p, but come the 1st January, it will be 85p. Other prices can be found in this leaflet, or on the Royal Mail website. I really hope we don't get stung by a second price rise in 2021 at the normal price rise time of year (usually end of March). 

 

InCoWriMo-2020 preparation

I have been thinking about International Correspondence Writing Month, where I will be writing at least one handwritten every day, and it will be a month of letters. However, none of the usual sites are ready. incowrimo.org has not been updated. incowrimo-2020.org looks to be delayed (but is in progress), and lettermo.com has technical difficulties. So, where else can I get my fix for that month? At the moment, one forum has been getting ready for the missive madness, and that is A World of Snail Mail and many of the members have participated in the February letter writing projects before.

Myself, I'm preparing by making sure I have plenty of letter writing paper. I have a lot but some is stored away. Maybe I need to bring some of that into rotation, from bright/colourful/cheerful designs to plainer but still nice papers.

Stickers, yes, need them, they can be used to brighten up some plain papers. Some of the stickers can illustrate better than what I can draw!

Envelopes - some of the postcards I might want to enclose will not fit in the standard C6 envelopes, so I will need either to buy some (there is a crafting shop I've bought 5 x 7 inch envelopes before), or make some (maybe with my We R Memory Keepers board).

I had to clean out some fountain pens, and filled them up, but may have to do this again towards the end of the month as I am still writing letters. The two pens below look to both have orange-ish inks in but only one of them does, the other ink is pink.

Also this month, there's a new issue of postage stamps, celebrating the UK's part in video games, so last century. Worms and Lemmings are to name 2. I shall probably get some, but I'd best get there first thing on the day as that post office won't get that many in.

I do like to use the nice postage stamps where possible. They cost the same as postage labels and Machin stamps so why not go for something that would also bring a smile to the recipient's face (as well as the enclosed nice letter...). If the recipient doesn't want to keep the stamps, then many charities accept the used ones as a means of raising money (and they would possibly get more money for the commemorative stamps than ordinary definitive ones). 

I do like finishing off the envelope with a wax seal. There are so many designs you can have, not just initials (I use the initial for my first name, not surname). 

The night before InCoWriMo-2018

I have signed up to take part in InCoWriMo-2018, a handwritten letter every day, in February. 

In preparation, I am making sure I have enough return address labels printed. I have my own design now, to print at home. I still have a few other labels printed commercially I had forgotten about / misplaced!

I also bought more letter writing paper in the Paperchase sales. I will not run out of paper (I have for a few years at least).

I bought another fountain pen too in the Paperchase sale.

I will need to rinse and refill some fountain pens.

I have bought postage stamps. Many of my letters will need £1.40 postage, and I can make this up with 2 first class stamps plus 10p. There are so many wonderful designs for first class stamps, including the latest issue - Game of Thrones.

How to write the first letter

One size does not fit all and you must find your own way. However, I can tell you about my experiences.

Some people like to talk all about themselves. I started doing this when I came back to snail mail in 2008. I didn't receive many replies to those intro letters. A huge disappointment. Then, I thought about it - the all about me me me me letters could be selfish and one sided. 

Letters should be ongoing conversations. Questions should be asked but not too many - you do not want it to be an interrogation or inquisition.

I changed the way I approached first letters. Everyone is individual, and I would write different things to different people. I imagine we are already friends, or at the very lest, friendly acquaintances. I introduce myself through the conversation, even if it is through the mundane. E.g. the weather can affect many hobbies, and what you choose to do for the day: you wouldn't go swimming in the sea during a thunderstorm. 

Others have said that they like humour and stories in letters, and the letters to have personality. A letter is a gift of time and energy. Letters should reveal enthusiasm, sincerity, and passion.

Where you write could be of interest. Part of the draft for this blog post was written on a train. That then begs questions - where have I been, and where am I going? 

The original InCoWriMo was started by a fountain pen geek, and many participants were fountain pen users. Now, there are more participants who might not be into fountain pens, the colour of the ink (draft partially written with a Parker Reflex, Diamine Rustic Brown) and specific types of paper. Although I had fountain pens for use in 2008, I was using gel pens to write many of my letters.

What to write on doesn't really matter: a nice postcard; lined refill paper; or proper letter writing paper or notecards... Postcrossing expects you to send postcards of the same quality you'd be happy to receive yourself. There are some reasonable quality but not expensive letter writing paper out there. Paperchase may still have some writing sets in their sale!

Panic over - a site was down but is up again.

One of my favourite forums is currently down, FPGeeks and also the InCoWriMo site too but the comments on that site are still available on disqus. InCoWriMo2015 I've also removed my address from there while I was still able to.

Edit, FPGeeks is back up. FPGeeks forum

latest pen acquisition

Look what I picked up earlier this month:

A beautiful glass pen, with a heart-shaped bottle of J. Herbin ink. I now have two glass pens.

On an incoming letter, I found this lovely snail on the envelope.

One recent lettter was enclosed in this, in an envelope.

On a sombre note, this stamp was used on a condolence letter my mother sent. She didn't want to use a jollier stamp such as Alice in Wonderland, or even an Elephant (never forgets). 

InCoWriMo, pens, postcards....

Last week, I received my first correspondence for InCoWriMo

One postcard and 2 letters (USA and NL).

  Today, the postie brought 6  letters to me, all from people taking part in InCoWriMo. The content of a couple of these letters were quite funny. I know what ROFL means, but I need one for laughing because of something funny written in a letter while drinking tea and getting some of the beverage up the nose. 

 2 of the 3 letters with postage I posted today. 

 Recent pen acquisitions. The Lamy was bought last year (for 20p) but I bought a broad nib at the weekend and only yesterday, changed it. The 2 other fountain pens are Jinhao. I also bought a glass pen.

This came in a set with a heart-shaped bottle (I had opened it breaking the wax seals) of J. Herbin ink, and some notecards. 

The light from my desk lamp and the surface of my writing desk do not quite do the pens justice in the photo. 

As well as the Lamy nib (medium shown here), I do have some dip pen nibs but I am not sure how I came to buy 2 of the same type. The nib bottom right is a Post Office pen. 

I also have some postcard books. The Everything is Connected (Keri Smith), has had a number of postcards from it sent. What magic powers should a postcard have? The other postcard books shown are: My Wonderful World of Fashion Postcards [although I am not a fashion addict]; National Trust Gardens postcard book; and, Altair Design postcard book No. 2. I loved doing the Altair designs as a child but haven't coloured one in for years, maybe for at least 25 years.

It is July already?

June seemed to pass very quick.

Stats:
Postcards in - 29; out - 3 !!
Letters in - 11; out 13 (but this would have been 16 if I had caught the postal collection on Monday).

Instead, these 3 letters got posted on the 1st of July but the little plate on the postbox said next collection was to be Wednesday (I posted before 5.30pm which is when the last collection is supposed to be from that particular postbox).

You see that light green stamp? The one that has a value of 20p? Well, I was surprised to see something in a shop today to be sold at 20p....The daily newspaper I buy used to be 20p, but now costs 30p!

I haven't used Lamy before, but I thought at 20p, I cannot go wrong.... the cost of sending a letter (whether within the United Kingdom, or abroad) is more than that! This is my first Lamy: most of my fountain pens are Parker.