the lost art of the handwritten note

Introducing a new series: "the lost art of..."

Each installment will highlight something that used to be commonplace and is now harder to find. These are things I think still have merit, and that we'd all benefit from bringing back.

The Lost Art of the Handwritten Note

After every birthday, my mom made me write and mail handwritten thank you notes and I dreaded it because it took so much effort. Like a lot of people, I transitioned to the ease of a quick text instead. Life is busy so why write and mail something when you can send the same message in seconds?

The question is actually the answer. A handwritten note has value because it takes effort. It tells the person receiving it that you took the time, when you didn't have to. It's rare to get a handwritten note in 2026, which is exactly why it means so much when you do.

The same goes for cards sent the old fashioned way. Whether it’s a birthday card, an anniversary note, or a simple “thinking of you”, these notes can have big impact. They are small gestures, but they carry more weight because so few people practice this art.

When I was job hunting after college, I sent a handwritten note after every interview, along with the standard thank you email. It rarely changed the outcome, but it changed how I was remembered. In a stack of resumes and form emails, a note in someone's actual handwriting stands out. That's still true now, maybe even more so than ever. 

If you want to brush up on the finer points, Emily Post's guide to writing thank you notes is a great place to start.

A good note doesn't need much. I keep a set of Galison Liberty floral notecards on hand for everyday ones, a thank you or a quick hello. A nice pen helps too, more than you'd think.

So, where do you start?

• Order yourself some stationery you'll actually be excited to use. Here are a few of my favorites to get you started.

• Send one handwritten note in the next month. A thank you, a birthday card, a get well note. Don’t overthink it and just do it. 

I, too, need to put in the effort and write more handwritten notes, so this challenge is for myself as well as for you. 

Be a trendsetter. Help bring back the lost art of the handwritten note.