Do you still send Christmas cards, thank you notes, and birthday cards in the mail? I do, but I had a recent conversation with a millennial friend and she told me that her generation really doesn’t do those things in the same, conventional way that my friends and I do (read: buy cards, sign them, stuff the envelopes, address, stamp, and mail them.)
And with the cost of stamps and amount of paper that gets tossed in the recycling bin the moment I open the envelope, I’ve been wondering if there is still a way to connect with people that has more class than a text, but is convenient, eco-friendly, and cheaper than sending paper through the mail. And it turns out, there is.
As luck would have it, the folks at Paperless Post reached out to me at just the right time to ask if I would like to try out their service.
The idea behind Paperless Post is that you can send beautiful, designer cards and invitations via email. You pick the card, personalize it with your own message, select a background for the card, and even an envelope liner–just as if it were a paper card. And then when you send it, and your recipient views the card, there is a fun animation where the envelope opens up, and your card comes out, all on a beautiful background. It’s super fun and tastefully done.
The first day I sat down to look at the site, it happened to be my best friend’s 30th wedding anniversary. (Obviously, she was a very young bride.) I did a quick search for anniversary cards and found this one. All the designs and fonts are beautifully chosen, but you can change them if you want.
In two minutes, I sent it off and it was actually pretty cool, because she was on vacation and yet I received an reply email from her within ten minutes, thanking me for my thoughtfulness. Last minute decision to send a card, and in 15 minutes I’ve received confirmation that I’m a thoughtful person–win/win!
Next, I sent an overdue thank you note for a quilt collaboration that I did with a friend. One of the things I noticed right off on the Paperless Post website is that they have Rifle Paper cards/invitations/stationary (swoon). I love Rifle Paper and know that my quilting friend does too, so, I quickly choose this thank you note and sent it off. (I also got a really fast response to that as well–what is better than a thank you for your thank you note?!)
And as much as these cards and notes were so much fun to send, one place that paperless post really seems to shine is invitations. I can totally picture sending out these darling Come on Over and Cozy Up invites for a Christmas open house (which I have always meant to host). And it’s so perfect for sending invitations for kids birthday parties. We once did a unicorn party and this one would have been perfect!
But alas, none of those are appropriate at this very moment. However, Chloe is leaving for her semester abroad to Norway in a couple of weeks, and I thought it would be fun to have a little going away get-together for her. She picked out this adorable passport invitation, which was perfect.
I’m so glad to know that I can keep up with my correspondence–thank you notes, just because notes, birthday cards–without running to the store and buying an expensive card, that, let’s face it, someone looks at for approximately five seconds before it becomes trash. Times change, and personally, I welcome this change.
Oh, I should mention that I do appreciate a good handwritten note in the actual mail, and they have addressed this as well. You can print out high quality cards and invitations, and even stationary that you design on the site (via Paper Source), if that is more appropriate to the situation. And let’s face it–sometimes it is.
(Disclosure: Paperless Post gave me a small credit to my account to try their service, but all opinions are strictly mine.)
I’m Kristin, a passionate quilter, sometimes knitter, everyday cook, and cozy home creator. Simple Handmade Everyday is my place to share my love for living a creative, intentional life. Grab a cup of tea and have a look around!