Share The Love With Custom Postcards

Hey, Mr. Postman . . . 

I've always liked postcards. They're one of those simple things in life that are at once trivial and priceless. I exchanged weekly mailings with Pam when we were dating across the country. Our boys were thoughtful enough to send postcards when they spent semesters abroad. Postcards are a kind of bookmark in our lives. 

Even now; or especially now that we can instantly share a snapshot, I think postcards are wonderfully retro and special ways to share a moment. Mailing anything is a measure of commitment these days. You can't multitask. You have to express a thought, buy a stamp, search for an address and get it in the post. World shaking Tweets take less effort. 

So when you can't visit or hug someone you love, sending a hand-made postcard seems like the most personal thing you can do. And it's easy. Right from your iPhone or Mac. 

• Find a print service that offers thick 4x6 inch prints. You want the printed kind, not the standard photographic prints (too flimsy to mail). 

• Look for a set of 10, 20, or whatever that lets you print a different picture on each print. These sets are cheaper per print and more likely printed on heavier paper. 

• Choose the pictures you want from your Photos library and place the order. 

• When you get the set of prints, just draw a vertical line in the middle of the backside so your message and address are separated. 

• Write your message, address, stamp, and mail. 

For our family, this has been a wonderful way to reach out to Pam's mother in Florida during the pandemic. Pam sends a card every few days that has an old family photo with a description. It's a treat for her mother to get and her care-givers can read and discuss. The postcards are nice for us to talk about with her too on FaceTime calls. 

Two services we've used are Artifact Uprising Everyday Print Set and Parabo Press Classic Prints, both of which have mobile apps and online web stores. 

So go retro. Send a little 4x6 love.