Send Some Happy is a blog series with me and the wonderful Fiona of Life Lyrics and Lemoncake! We are both long-time snail mail and letter lovers, and we have some exciting post-themed blog posts up our sleeves for the next few months. But really, this isn’t about us, it’s about inspiring you to join us in promoting post. Each post Fiona and I will add a little challenge, if you feel so inclined to join us in sending happy post. It will probably be something fairly simple- we are all busy people- but a way to encourage you and us in our post sending. Share your thoughts/ pictures by using the hashtag #sendsomehappy on twitter or instagram.
Receiving a letter or a card in the post is such a special surprise, and one I think everyone appreciates. I have loved writing letters for years, albeit rather sporadically! However, in recent months I have been sending more things in the post which aren’t simply letters- be that parcels, surprises inside letters or just returning items which people have kindly leant to us.
Besides getting a courier, or physically driving or getting the train, the post is the only way to physically get something from one place to another. If you think about it, it’s really rather clever to think that something could be at my house one day, and yours the next without me needing to do more than pop to the Post Office.
I think I had always been a little afraid of postage costs for parcels- I hadn’t really looked them up or understood it, and so always stuck to stuffing an envelope with as many sheets of paper as I could get away with. Whilst this is a great way to economise on postage- with reams and reams of writing, there are other ways to make the most of your postage costs if you’re having, or wanting to send something bigger.
For people in the UK here’s a guide to sizes-.
Here’s what I most commonly use and the cost:
Sending a letter, up to A5 size (has to be less than 5mm thick) costs 63p First Class, 54p Second Class. (As of 30 March).
A large letter can be up to 2.5cm thick and A4 – providing it’s light it can be only 95p First Class, 74p Second Class.
And then a big leap up to small parcels which are up to 2kg in weight and probably about shoe-box size are £3.30 First Class, £2.80 Second Class. (So for 40p more it can get there much faster!)
So if you’re already having to send something as a small parcel (like I had to a bit to return things to people), you may as well get your money’s worth and stuff it with extra bits- it won’t cost you any more as long as you keep within the size limits. If you’re sending a book, why not add a card, some crafty bits, snacks or treats? I’ve sent clothes I’ve loved but have had to part with to friends, and love being able to pack things nicely and add a handwritten note. There’s a lot you can send for under 2kg!
Recent fun parcels I’ve sent (and received) recently have been the Stationery Swap (photo from outgoing parcel above) and the Book Swap with Jocelyn from the Reading Residence as part of her #bringbackpaper posts as well as the Merry and Bright gift swap I took part in at Christmas. I’ve seen some awesome ideas for things like ‘birthday in a box’, care packages and just fun treats for friends to brighten their day.
Do you like getting packages in the post? And have you sent any recently? Have you ever done a ‘swap’, and would you want to?
Challenge: Add something fun to a package you have to send in the next few months- cheer up a friend, send a special birthday treat when you can’t be there, or return something which you’ve had for too long! Check you’re making the most of your postage.
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