From Me to You

When I was 9 years old, I received my first handmade card. It was from a classmate. He had just moved to New Jersey from South Korea. He had a hard time adjusting to his new school, and I helped him. He wanted to show his appreciation but didn’t know how to express himself. So he made me a card. It was a folded piece of paper from his spiral notebook, with a picture he’d drawn of us on the front. There were only a few sentences inside because he didn’t know how to write in English. But those words meant a lot to me at the time.

Since then, I’ve known how special handwritten cards can be. They take time and effort to make and feel very personal. Like photographs, cards can be stored and looked back on. You can make your own unique card with supplies you have at home. Or you can buy a card from a store. What’s most important is the message you write inside.

A Personal Touch

The first step is to think of a person for whom you’d like to make a card. Will you give it to a friend or a family member? Or is it for someone you don’t know that well but who might need a little encouragement? Next, think about what kind of card you’d like to make. There are many types: Thank-you cards, congratulations cards, holiday cards, and I’m-sorry cards are just a few.

Now it’s time to gather your thoughts. For me, this is the hardest but most rewarding part. A big tip for writing a card is to keep the person you’re making it for in mind while you work. You can ask yourself some questions while writing: What are your favorite memories of that person? What do you appreciate most about him or her? Your words can be as sweet or as funny as you want. If they’re personal, the message will be special.

Last, sign your name at the bottom. Don’t forget to include the date, in case the recipient keeps the card to reread sometime far in the future.

It can be hard to put your feelings into words. But getting a handwritten card or letter can make someone who needs it feel appreciated.