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Dear Pen Pal: A Year of Handwritten Letters

We're matching StyleBlueprint readers for a year of handwritten letters - one per month, twelve meaningful connections. Rediscover the joy of finding something beautiful in your mailbox again.

· By Liza Graves
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A vintage-style envelope reads "StyleBlueprint Dear Pen Pal 2026: A year of handwritten letters" with a label saying "Bring back handwritten notes and celebrate a year of letters.Pin

Remember the last time you got a real letter in the mail? Not a bill, coupon, or invitation. And, not even a thank-you note. An actual letter, written by hand, just for you?

Click below to skip to the sign up form.
  1. Sign Up Form

There’s something almost magical about it. The handwriting. The effort someone took to sit down, find a stamp, and walk to a mailbox. The knowledge that someone was thinking about you while the rest of the world zoomed (or scrolled) by.

We’re craving that again. Real connection. The kind that can’t be liked or shared or swiped away.

That’s why we created Dear Pen Pal, A Year of Handwritten Letters. We’ll match you with someone in the StyleBlueprint community, and for twelve months, you’ll write to each other.

One letter a month. Handwritten. Unhurried. Human.

Maybe you’ll write about your neighborhood, your dreams, what made you laugh last Tuesday. Maybe you’ll use our monthly prompts, or maybe you’ll ignore them completely. What matters is that somewhere out there, someone will be waiting to hear from you. And you’ll be waiting to hear from them.

This is one way we build community. One envelope, one story, one connection at a time.

Will you join us?

Sign Up Form

A vintage-style envelope with “StyleBlueprint Dear Pen Pal 2026—A year of handwritten letters” and a red triangle saying “Bring Back Handwritten Notes.”. Perfect for celebrating a year of letters and pen pal connections.Pin
Liza Graves

Liza Graves

As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!

10 thoughts on “Dear Pen Pal: A Year of Handwritten Letters

  1. Gin Gin says:

    I love your pen pal idea , but it would really be great to get our younger children and tween/teen grandchildren in on this. Many of us have family spread out all over nowadays.
    Thanks!

    1. Liza Graves Liza Graves says:

      That would be wonderful:) Perhaps a publication/platform that specializes in content for teens to start this?!

  2. connie briggs connie briggs says:

    I love this idea! What a nourishing wholesome habit to encourage. I just read the Correspondent by Virginia Evans. It made me wish I had cultivated the habit of writing letters like my mother and my grandmother. Thank you for reviving this wonderful practice..

    1. Liza Graves Liza Graves says:

      We are excited to facilitate this. We hope it spreads untold amounts of joy!

  3. This is so great. I still write letters and am always looking for more people to write to. I have a footlocker full of cards and letters I’ve received throughout my life. I really hope people will sign up for this.

    1. Liza Graves Liza Graves says:

      Thank you! We’ve had a couple of hundred sign up, across 24 states and three countries – and we just announced it a couple of days ago! This will be so fun — thank you for signing up!

  4. What a wonderful idea ! I had a penpal as a young girl. She lived in Australia and I regret we lost touch. I still remember her address after all these years and have thought about giving a try at reconnecting.
    I hope the forum i submitted went through :)

    1. Liza Graves Liza Graves says:

      Thank you, Beverly! The form went through and we’re so happy you are participating!

  5. April Rayburn April Rayburn says:

    I signed up but haven’t heard anything. Were the names supposed to go out 1/26/26?

    1. Liza Graves Liza Graves says:

      Yes, they were! I hope you received our email about the delay. Our team, mostly located in Nashville, has been experiencing unprecedented power outages all week, downed trees, and school out all week. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience, but we are working to get the names out! We’ll have them out by Feb 1. Thank you for your patience!

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