Last Updated on January 12, 2021
Pen pals seem so 1956. Or 1856. Who knows? You tend to forget the simple things in life, especially when you are nose-deep into your Android checking for likes on your Facebook or Instagram page. Perhaps it’s time to take a break and grab a pen and find a pal.
New Yorker staff writer Rachel Syme is leading the old-school concept of pen pals by soliciting people to send letters … to complete strangers.
It’s called the PENPALOOZA initiative, which Syme set up using Secret Santa software courtesy of Elfster. Catch the wave: The number of participants is up to 7,300 and growing exponentially. It’s no surprise, as any form of human contact is a commodity during these pandemic times.
“in early summer i asked if anyone would like to start writing snail mail to strangers; people seemed into it so i set up this exchange,” Syme (@rachelsyme) tweeted this past August.
“it’s done through secret santa software (lol) because that is the only/best way to do such things at scale; so the way it works when you sign up is you get one person to write to first, and another person gets you … so two pen pals for one sign-up (more bang for your zero bucks).”
There is an option to include a little something for yourself on a “wishlist” link, but the primary purpose is to connect through the power of the written word.
It’s kinda like a blind date, only with zero pressure or expectations or deciding if you should go Dutch with the bill.
One satisfied pen-paler was Anna Sublet. “When my first piece of mail arrived, the excitement I felt was beyond reason,” she said, sharing her experience with The Guardian.
“The pure thrill of a package, holding pieces of a person—a bookmark, a sticker and words—was quite simply intoxicating. Across a two-month period, this connection had taken shape and taken flight across the globe.”
As Syme says: “Even under the best of circumstances, there’s a delay, a period where the letter is an object of hope, in transit between the present and the future.”
Sounds like a great idea. We all could use a new friend during these challenging times.
Click here to check out Elfster.
BONUS: If you’re looking for some unique postcards to kick your pen pal writing off with, look no further than our Live Boldly postcard book. Now available in the GB Shop!
