This post was sponsored by Basic Invite. Thank you SO much for your support of the brands that support Something Pretty, helping me to do what I love even more!

I head out to the mailbox every afternoon, often with Azelie on my hip and Charlie running after me in his bare feet. Over the past few weeks, after shuffling through some catalogs and junk mail, I’ve been delighted to find a few letters, with my name on the envelopes. This doesn’t happen often, and the fact that I was the recipient of multiple letters within a few weeks’ time was a happy surprise. Maybe that is why the action resonated with me especially deeply. The writers could have easily sent a quick text or called me on the phone. Instead, they took the time to dig out stationery, envelopes, and stamps. They sat down and pondered what they wanted to say–always a slower process without a delete button just a thumb movement away. Most of all, they felt I was worth taking the time to do all of this for.

I have a confession for you, friends: I am terrible about writing handwritten notes. I find this ironic on many levels: my unabashed love for Christmas cards, how much I enjoy receiving snail mail, the fact that I used to work for a company that literally mentioned handwritten notes in their manifesto…the unfortunate list goes on. As such, I expect this might be surprising to some of you! Truly, it’s something I have long wished I was better at prioritizing. Maybe, I thought, as I folded the letters and put them back in their envelopes, writing handwritten notes–something I’ve long appreciated but never committed to doing much myself–could have the power to make the special people in my life feel just as cherished.

I recently fell down the rabbit hole of Basic Invite‘s personalized stationery and found it was exactly the push I needed to pick up a pen. From wedding invitations to notecards, they have some of the most customizable offerings I have come across online. Choose from hundreds of designs and fonts, over 180 colors (the color of every design element can be changed), and over 40 envelope colors to create just the right stationery for your collection. The delicate florals and classic feel of the Elegant Blossoms, Antique Frame, and Dainty Wreath designs caught my eye and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, I’m hoping to kick off a letter-writing (valentine-writing? :)) habit by penning a snail mail letter a day for the next two weeks!

Are you a letter writer? When do you usually opt for snail mail over another form of communication? You know Christmas cards are dear to my heart, but I also LOVE sending paper invitations for special events. I’ve never sent out a baby arrival announcement, but am always delighted to receive them–what a treasure for a baby book or keepsake box! Basic Invite’s are lovely–they even have Christmas birth announcements and birth announcements for twins that are adorable. I’d love to hear about your favorite mail to send and receive!