Going on vacation is good for you, and science agrees. Sharing the experience can get others in on the fun, too. Sending postcards to commemorate a holiday or important phase of life was a common practice, but it has fallen by the wayside in recent years. Nonetheless, there are many reasons to still send postcards, which we will delve into below.
Everyone Likes A Letter Addressed to Them
When it doesn’t involve a bill or advertisement for something they don’t care about, getting personalized mail is fun for people. Opening up a letter from someone you care about harkens back to the feeling of opening Christmas presents as a child. It also lets someone know you care about them in a way that a text message or email couldn’t convey.
They’re the Easiest Souvenirs You Can Buy
Free postcards are all over the place. In most major cities, you can find all the postcards you could ever dream of within a block or two. If you stay at a resort, many affordable vacation packages have all manner of souvenirs and accouterments on the premises without even having to venture into town to get them. There are also options for the whole family in mind at family-friendly resorts.
They’re Cheap
Postcards are among the least expensive things that money can buy. They are generally around one dollar but may sometimes go up if you are around historical landmarks or other tourist hotspots. If you consider yourself a DIY person, you can also use an app like MyPostcard, which allows you to make one anywhere for free.
Physical objects are important to us. When you can touch something, it engages more of our senses and, in turn, makes us attach more significance to it.Inspiration To Travel More
Postcards enhance connection with a place in a special way. If you receive a card from someone having a good time in a place you’ve never been, you will naturally want to emulate the experience. It’s easy to get locked in your small world of the same faces and places, but getting a postcard opens your mind to the possibilities of all the things you have yet to experience. In other words, postcards inspire us to do more, live more, and see more.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
Not even a gifted wordsmith or renowned author can describe the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu or Roman architecture as a simple photo can. The visual representation of a picture does something that words simply cannot, while the rustic nature of the postcard adds a special ingredient of its own.
You Can Do All Kinds of Things With Them
Postcards have various uses, whether it’s putting them on your wall or making a scrapbook. They are reminders of fun travels, people, and memories that made us who we are. Finding an old postcard from a bygone era of your life can exhilarate you in a way that words cannot do justice. Many people scrapbook with postcards to immortalize their experiences. If Instagram seems too unsubstantive and artificial to you, there are plenty of resources online to aid in your scrapbooking endeavors.
They’re Environmentally Friendly
Let’s face it – not all postcards must be saved and cherished forever. And perhaps getting too many from the same person can seem less like a friendly memento and more like rubbing the life you wish you had in your face. Thankfully, they’re easy on the environment once they’ve served their purpose and are ready to be disposed of.
Nearly Anything Can Be A Postcard
If you can think outside the box, many things can be repurposed and begin a new life as a postcard. If you are experiencing particularly striking autumn during your stay, you can press a leaf, reinforce it with some paper, scribble a note, and send it away. It’s easy, fun, and can be a fun way to stretch your creative limits.
They Can Last
Instagram and Facebook are fine, but they remain subject to the unreliability of electronics. Pictures can also be deleted or lost when a device breaks. On the other hand, a postcard cannot be deleted. A well-done scrapbook with meaningful messages can stand the test of time and become an heirloom for future generations. Postcards are artifacts to mark special times in our lives. They elicit profound emotion and uniquely engage our senses. This is why they still exist in the era of social media – they have earned a place in human culture that will likely never be replaced.
