World Stationery Day (Every day in my case)

Celebrating the joy of real paper, real pens, and real connection

Dear Reader,

Tomorrow is World Stationery Day—a day to buy stationery and write a letter. Or, as I like to call it: Wednesday.

This day was created because people, watching emails and texts take over, feared that this most precious form of communication might become extinct.

While this annual event celebrates all things stationery—letterhead, postcards, colored pencils, that crisp new-notebook smell—humans have been passing messages for eons. The oldest written record on Earth? No, not a Surface Pro tablet. It’s the Dispilio tablet, scratched out around 5200 BC. Turns out we’ve been tablet people for a very, very long time.

And somewhere along the way, someone decided to write “How you doin’?” in cursive instead of carving it into stone.

But don’t worry—I’m not here to give a history lesson.

Last week, I received a packet of free stationery—in the mail—from the Central Park Conservancy, tucked alongside a donation form. And they’re not the only ones. Over the years, I’ve received all kinds of free stationery from nonprofits large and small.

It got me wondering—if letter writing is supposedly as outdated as the typewriter, why are organizations still using stationery to ask us for donations? Or, for that matter, address labels? Why not a water bottle with their logo on it? Or a collapsible tote bag?

According to Juliana Jaeger, Senior Membership Coordinator at the Conservancy, they send out greeting cards because “they are super popular and show off our work, since they feature beautiful photos of the Park, letting folks know that donating is one way to keep the park beautiful.”

I would second that and add that stationery also feels personal (and let’s be honest, much less expensive). When you open a packet of notecards or see your name printed on a sheet of labels, it’s a tiny reminder that you belong somewhere. That you matter.

And it’s no accident who they’re speaking to.

Stationery speaks to a generation who grew up writing thank-you notes, mailing birthday cards, and sending letters just to say, “thinking of you.” It’s a nod to a time when communication took effort—and because it took effort, it carried more meaning. Those free notecards say, You remember when mail mattered, right? Well, so do we. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll send a little something back.

Of all the hundreds of letters I’ve saved, one of my favorites wasn’t long, wasn’t written on expensive paper, and didn’t even have perfect punctuation. It came from my paternal grandmother, written on February 13, 1999. The last line still hits my heart every time I read it:

Also still thinking of the few days we had together

Reading her words (and seeing her handwriting), I’m instantly transported back to that moment. As if I had just received her letter in the mail. As if she were still alive.

So tomorrow, on this Very Important and Utterly Under-celebrated Day, I invite you to join me. Pull out the good stationery, grab a pen that practically glides on its own, and write a letter to someone who’d never expect it. No donation form required. Just words from the heart.

With gratitude (and a sticky stack of address labels),

Felice

P.S. Bonus points for decorating your envelope!

SONG OF THE WEEK
Love Letters in the Sand by Pat Boone

Felice Cohen is an award-winning author, known nationally and internationally for living in one of the world’s smallest apartments. She wrote Half In: A Coming-of-Age Memoir of Forbidden Love (endorsed by Rita Mae Brown), 90 Lessons for Living Large in 90 Square Feet (...and More) (inspired by her viral YouTube video with 25M+ views), and What Papa Told Me (endorsed by Elie Wiesel). Felice is a sought-after speaker, inspiring others through her books and talks. Find her at felicecohen.com.