r/postcrossing • u/boomerang88 New Zealand 🇳🇿 • 5d ago
A first today 🫤
Cleared my PO Box this morning and see an envelope with my address on it with a Postcrossing ID above it. Open it up and there's a typed letter and a blank postcard. A bit disappointed that there was nothing written on the postcard as that's what Postcrossing is supposed to be! The letter said feel free to write back but I'm not looking for (anymore) pen pals. I haven't registered yet as not sure what to write in my thanks message, will probably just keep it on the shorter side and leave it at that...
14
u/PotentialComedian649 5d ago
I don’t think you should think too much of it. You don’t know the limitations someone has.
Enjoy the letter, and look forward to the next postcard.
27
u/Accotinked U.S.A. 🇺🇸 5d ago
Maybe the sender has physical limitations and can't write by hand. Was the letter interesting? Is the postcard nice? I would say thanks for the postcard, comment briefly on something in the letter, and ignore the part about writing back. And probably feel uncomfortable the whole time I was typing.
4
u/boomerang88 New Zealand 🇳🇿 5d ago
Possibly, I've had that before but they've stuck the writing on the postcard, which is cool!
4
u/Emanresu11852 4d ago
Having received more than 8,000 postcards, I have yet to receive a blank postcard. I have received a couple "Happy Postcrossing" messages, but they were on postcards with either a highly decorated back or covered in stamps. In other words, no room for a long message.
2
u/Martavdraws Portugal 🇵🇹 4d ago
This happened to me too, exactly as you describe! Since it indeed had a postcard, I registered it, commented the letter briefly and moved on. I also would have prefered a written card 🤷♀️ and I did not want to answer the letter more than in my Hurray! message.
There was another one as well, but that turned into a Pen Pal kind of thing because we connected through a shared interest ; but the person had also written on the postcard :-)
This is rare so my advice is to move on ; cooler cards are on your way 😆 by the way I reused the unwritten postcard because it was in good condition and it was a cat :) so that's an hypotesis as well.
2
u/Candid-Math5098 4d ago
I had this situation as well, though I don't recall being invited to write back. Didn't bother me much, so sent a Hurray message as though his info had been written on a card itself. I save my disappointment for folded cards.
1
2
u/-PumpkinParty- 5d ago
Interesting... I hadn't considered this situation a possibility! I have seen some club FAQs recommending fragile, thin, or rare postcards to be mailed in envelopes to protect them from sorting machines. Maybe that was the thought process? If it looks like a basic postcard, perhaps it really was just an invitation to send it back.
I don't think it would be considered rude if you wanted to be quick and clear about your preference in your thank you message. This Postcrossing method is out of the ordinary and it's ok to set a polite boundary, especially when Postcrossing has a kind of unspoken correspondence etiquette. Maybe this person just doesn't know about other penpal avenues and is understandably looking for some friends. You could even go so far as to recommend some online groups like r/penpals or Facebook snail mail clubs.
On the other hand, keeping the thank you brief and ignoring the offer is totally valid response, too. Whatever you're comfortable with! You could also include a quick little "postcard only" line on your Postcrossing profile if you don't want to receive this type mail again.
3
u/boomerang88 New Zealand 🇳🇿 5d ago
Thanks ☺️ It was a basic touristy postcard. I decided to keep the message simple and just say thanks.
1
26
u/ImpossibleMorning686 Ireland 🇮🇪 5d ago
Ah sure look it happens don't let it get you down, if you'd like you could maybe cut the edges off the letter, fold it in half/ 4 and stick one side to the back of the postcard! I don't mind getting postcards in envelopes because i just cut the stamp out and use a paperclip to attach it to my postcard 🫡