In place of the store-bought card

We’ve got nothing against off-the-rack greeting cards. We are the first to admit that generic birthday cards are not us, and that we love funny birthday card ideas and touching anniversary card ideas. But now and then we like to replace the expected card with a handwritten personalized note card or letter that marks the passing year with more than a pat verse and a quick signature.

A man we know writes a letter to his wife every year on their anniversary. She keeps them all in a shoebox, a treasure to someday be discovered by their grandchildren. Each letter is a snapshot of their relationship at that moment in time, and reading them one after the other creates a moving picture. This man has created a legacy for his family—much more than a shoebox of store-bought cards could ever do. He has set an example for his children that they cannot help but admire and, if their spouses are lucky, follow.

A mom we know writes notes to her children regularly and puts them under their pillows or in their lunchboxes, using personalized note cards she created for just that purpose.

A boss we know sends little handwritten thank you notes to her team members whenever she sees them do something that surprises her.

We are happy to report that the written note is alive and well. And the more electronic communication we are exposed to, forced to wade through, the more we appreciate it. Do you know of any unusual uses for handwritten notes? We’d love to hear them. And if you don’t have personalized stationery to write on, you’d better head to peartreegreetings.com and create your own!