Letter ideas
A monthly letter routine that fits real life
Gather little moments as they happen, then turn them into a letter with a simple monthly routine.
You remember a story you meant to tell Grandma while you're washing a pan. By the time you sit down to write on Sunday, you can remember having something to tell her, but the story itself has gone.
Keep a note nearby. A few words on your phone or on the back of an envelope can save you from trying to reconstruct an entire month when you finally have time to write.
Save the scraps as they happen
"Dog stole toast" is enough. So is "ask about walking group." You can write the whole story later, when you're sitting down with a cup of coffee instead of trying to catch a dog.
Add an update when something happens that your grandparents would want to hear about. If they asked how your new job was going, save a moment from the first week while you still remember the people involved.
Try a time you can move
Put a short writing session on your calendar, perhaps on the first Sunday of the month. Try it once. If Sunday keeps filling up with chores, move it.
Open your notes and pick two things you want to tell them. You may get a paragraph out of one and three paragraphs out of the other, especially if the story reminds you of something you did together.
Calls and messages can carry on around the letter. Your grandparents can hear the quick version today and read the longer version when it arrives.
Check it while it's still in front of you
Read the letter aloud. Explain any names they won't recognize and check that you got the details right. Before approving it for mailing, read the whole draft and check the address.
"Love you, talk Sunday" works. Use it if that's what you mean, and leave the grand farewell for another occasion when you have something else you want to say.
MailedIt offers writing reminders. You can get help with a draft when you want it, then review and approve the letter before we print and mail it.
After finishing this month's letter, leave yourself a note about something to ask next time. If you missed a month, open the notes you have now and write from those.
This routine is MailedIt's practical suggestion. Further reading on family connection: the New York Times article.