The Return Of The Handwritten Letter

When was the last time you wrote or received a handwritten letter? It seems that in our tech-dominated world that many people are wanting to change how we communicate and are going about it in a more traditional way. Thus, the handwritten letter is making a comeback.

Over the last year, Hobbycraft has seen a 45% increase in searches for ‘Letter Writing Paper’ in comparison to 2020. This may be linked to the current Cornonavirus pandemic as people aren’t able to physically see friends and family as often as they might want to. It is also proven to be a great stress reliever and can be a form of meditation as someone sits and carefully writes a note to someone they love.

As well as being beneficial for mental health and wellbeing, it is also an important skill to build on for a number of other reasons.

A Letter Can Be A Keepsake

In our modern-day lifestyle, it’s not often that you will receive a personal handwritten letter. By writing or receiving a written letter, it allows them to become a memento of times past, that you can look back on and remember a specific time or event in your life. When you write or receive a letter, it provides a form of escapism back to a time in your life that has been and gone; allowing both writer and reader to reminisce.

It Is A Screen-Free Activity

Due to the recent pandemic, most of us have become ever more addicted to our screens and are rarely apart from one for more than 5 minutes. Putting pen to paper for even just a short amount of time can allow for there to be a healthy balance between screen time and downtime. (As well as helping to avoid side effects of screens such as dry, irritated eyes and difficulty sleeping and concentrating).

It Allows You To Get Creative

Letter writing doesn’t have to just be about content. Why not jazz it up a bit with some new stationary such as recyclable washi tapes or calligraphy pens? If you get the colouring pens out and make it more of a creative project, you’re more likely to make it a habit and stick to writing more often. It also makes the letter look more appealing and stand out amongst other door drop mail that people may receive.

It Helps To Keep The Mind Engaged

The physical act of putting a pen to paper and writing to a loved one can have great therapeutic value. It is also known to increase mental wellbeing if you are writing to someone you care about. This can leave people feeling happier and with a sense of gratification as they are doing something nice for someone else.

It Can Strengthen Relationships

Receiving post can sometimes feel a little bit monotonous and daunting, especially if they are bills that are landing on your doorstep. Imagine how you might feel however if you returned home from a long day’s work to see an unexpected handwritten letter from a loved one. It is the thought that has gone into a letter, specifically for the person opening it, which can strengthen any relationship, be it you live 5 or 60 miles away from each other.

It Is COVID Friendly

During these difficult times, there has been a striking increase in the number of lonely people reported in the UK. According to a recent survey which was completed during the first 9 months of the COVID19 restrictions being put in place, 1 in 4 (24%) adults said they had felt lonely in the last 2 weeks. As COVID seems it is here to stay for a little while longer, people are still seeing the side effects of isolation and lack of social activities. Writing a letter to a relative or someone you haven’t seen since the pandemic began is a great way to engage with someone in a risk-free way.

From brush lettering to using stamps and washi tapes to personalise your letters, Hobbycraft has a huge range of paper, pens, inks, and brush lettering kits available online and in store. So why not put your pen to paper and get writing!