What to Put in a Letter: 25 Playful & Thoughtful Ideas
Writing a letter can feel surprisingly hard. Not because you have nothing to say, but because you want it to feel right. Like, what if it's too short? Too long? Too boring? The pressure is real. 😅
Many people imagine letters need to be meaningful or beautifully written. They do not. Letters work best when they are specific, imperfect, and full of small human details.
A letter is simply a container for attention. Once you realize that, the pressure lifts. It's like writing code comments: they don't need to be perfect, they just need to be helpful.
Below are 25 ideas you can mix and match. You do not need all of them. One or two is enough to make a letter feel alive. Think of it as a starter template: customize as needed.
Words and small thoughts
Start with something ordinary. Ordinary things are often the most comforting.
A tiny moment from your day that made you pause. Maybe you noticed how the light hit your coffee cup. Or you heard a song that reminded you of something. These small observations feel intimate when shared. Like a small bug fix that made your day better.
A sentence you read and could not stop thinking about. Books, articles, even social media posts can spark thoughts worth exploring. Copy it down. Add your own reflection. Like finding a really good comment on Stack Overflow.
A question you have been carrying around lately. Not a question that needs an answer. Just something you have been wondering about. Questions invite connection. Like asking "why does this work?" but for life stuff.
A short list of small joys from the week. Three things. Five things. However many feel natural. Lists are easy to write and delightful to read. Like a simple array of good things.
A memory that surfaced unexpectedly. Something from childhood. A moment from last month. Memories shared in letters feel different than memories shared in conversation. Like a callback function that brings back old code.
A quote written in your own handwriting. There is something special about seeing words you love written by someone else's hand. It makes them feel new again. Like refactoring someone else's code and making it your own.
Playful extras
Playfulness turns a letter into an experience. This is where it gets fun.
Stickers placed without overthinking. Choose colors you like. Place them where they feel right. Perfection is not required. Like adding emojis to your commit messages: it's fine.
A doodle, even if you think you cannot draw. A simple flower. A star. A smiley face. Doodles add personality without pressure. Like ASCII art, but analog.
A pressed flower or leaf. Nature finds its way into letters beautifully. A small pressed flower can mark a season or a moment. Like a timestamp, but prettier.
A scrap of colorful paper you liked too much to throw away. Maybe it is wrapping paper. Maybe it is from a magazine. Small scraps become treasures when shared. Like keeping old code comments because they're funny.
A decorative stamp or wax seal. If you enjoy wax sealing, this adds a special touch. But it is not necessary. Simple stamps work too. Like adding a nice README to your project.
A folded note tucked inside the main letter. A secret message. A reminder. Something extra that feels like a small gift. Like a hidden comment in your code.
Cozy surprises
These additions make mail feel like a small gift. The good kind of surprise.
A tea bag you love. Share a favorite flavor. Include a note about when you like to drink it. Like sharing your favorite productivity hack, but tastier.
A postcard from a place you have been or want to go. Postcards carry stories. They invite imagination. Like a screenshot of a place you want to visit.
A simple bookmark. A strip of paper. A ribbon. Something to mark a page in a book. Like a bookmark in your browser, but physical.
A recipe written by hand. A favorite cookie recipe. A simple soup. Recipes feel personal when handwritten. Like documenting your favorite command-line tricks.
A short affirmation or kind sentence. Something you needed to hear. Something you think the recipient might need too. Like a helpful error message, but for feelings.
Just for fun
Letters are allowed to be silly. No one's grading this.
A secret message hidden in the page. Write it in invisible ink. Hide it in a pattern. Make it a small adventure to find. Like an Easter egg in your code.
A made up holiday and how to celebrate it. Create your own tradition. Make it specific to your friendship. Like creating your own coding holiday.
A playful prediction about the future. What do you think will happen next month? Next year? Predictions are fun to revisit later. Like predicting when a bug will be fixed.
A playlist written out song by song. Share music you have been listening to. Write out the songs. Explain why you chose them. Like sharing your coding playlist.
A reminder that someone was thought of. Sometimes that is enough. A simple note that says "I thought of you today" carries weight. Like a simple "thinking of you" message, but analog.
Making it personal
The best letters feel like conversations paused mid-sentence. They do not need to be long. They need to be honest.
If you are new to letter writing, start with our letter writing event kit. It offers gentle guidance without rules. Like a good tutorial, but for feelings.
You might also enjoy creating a memory box to store the letters you receive. Physical keepsakes become more meaningful over time. Like keeping old project files for nostalgia.
Letters do not need rules
They need personality. They need small details. They need the willingness to be imperfect. Like good code: it doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to work and be readable.
If you enjoy this kind of playful, tangible connection, you might love the Snail Mail Club. It brings thoughtful mail to your mailbox, ready to be opened slowly. Each piece is designed to feel gentle, creative, and quietly special.