Birthday Mail Celebration Idea (vs. Birthday Party or Presents)

I just ran across your blog looking for ideas. My little girl is turning 5 next month. We are having a low key birthday party (mom, dad, Grammy, and Granddaddy). But I want to send out “invitations” asking people to send her a card– the idea is that mail addressed to her will interest her and she’d be more interested in reading it. We are working on learning to read before she starts kindergarten. Any chance you can help me figure this out?

Thank you!!
J

I think this is a lovely idea! And I can state from experience that yes, kids LOVE LOVE LOVE getting mail. My boys’ faces still light up whenever I pull something with their name on it out of the usual stack of bills and junk mail. It just doesn’t happen all that often, so when it does, it feels super special.

The easiest place to make a request like this is Facebook, honestly, since you can easily restrict it to people who already have your mailing address, and you can keep it super casual. And you can include other specific details/requests, like “please just a card/letter/postcard, no money” and “please print/no cursive.” (My mother and MIL are both awesome at sending holiday/birthday/just-because cards to their grandsons, but none of them can read their [perfectly lovely] cursive handwriting. It’s like a foreign language to them, alas.)

If you’d like to send something more formal out, I think it would be cute to have it come from your daughter, as a combo birthday announcement/request. Maybe a photo card with “I’m turning 5! Instead of presents, I would like to get real letters in the mail!” or something along those lines on it. (As you can tell, I think it’s important — no matter where/how you make the request — to make it super clear that this isn’t a request for gifts or money.)  Go ahead and include a stamp or even a self-addressed envelope/postcard as a courtesy, and maybe remind people that she can’t read cursive.

Don’t worry about not mentioning/inviting people to an actual party — I think most people will completely understand that this is in lieu of a big over-the-top celebration with presents, and will appreciate that you’re giving them an “easy” way to celebrate instead. I’d personally find it very charming if a friend or family member did something this, and would be happy to pick up a card or have my kids write letters or whatever.

And! Lastly! Whoever sends a card, make sure they get a thank you note! Writing people’s names, a simple “thank you for the card” and her name is an EXCELLENT practice exercise for a learning-to-read preschooler. (Also, good manners!)

Photo source: Depositphotos/kelpfish

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