Opinion: Make This the Year You Bring Back Handwritten Communication
Skip the printer for your invites, menus, and thank yous—and fire up your trusty pen instead.
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Though the years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in many changes to our lives, one of the most lasting is our newfound comfort with virtual connection. From business calls to board meetings to happy hours, we've increasingly traded IRL experiences for Zoom sessions, Teams meetups, or FaceTime. And while that's a lifesaver for remote work, it's also left many of us craving something a bit more...analog? Slow? Personal? Well, we're here to bring back something that ticks all those boxes: The handwritten note. In an era obsessed with email, your snail mail thank you will never have more weight; in the heyday of Paperless Post, a physical, paper invite sets an unexpected tone. And we've always been of the opinion that a hand-lettered place card or dinner menu adds an extra note of personality to any party. Ahead, we've rounded up some of our favorite (real!) paper invites, note cards, menus, and more. This holiday season, switch off your computer, put your phone away, and savor the moment.
Amazon has plenty of options for template invites. Just fill in and send!
Etsy is another treasure trove for blank invitations if you need a starting point for your creativity. Search by color, style, or event.
Or, scoop up a simple notecard set with a border or accent, and write your invitation below.
Channel Princess Diana with the famous black sheep, courtesy of Warm & Wonderful's collaboration with famed stationer Dempsey & Carroll. The perfect invite for a Crown viewing party or thank you for your royal-obsessed friend.
Casa Felix's floral border is the perfect canvas for your dinner party menu—even the most basic meal will sound chic when presented like this. The brand is all about bringing back custom papery—you can also find place cards, invites, gift tags, and more to set the scene for your soiree.
Or, get creative by creating a completely customized menu on a blank menu card.
We love Papier's simple, chic placecards—there's one for every occasion.
Karen Suen-Cooper and Martin Cooper of Mr. P's offer antique-inspired options for a unique tablescape.
This brown paper placemat is a pretty backdrop to any style table setting—or, for an alternative to a place card, write your guest's name right on the paper.
Use these paper topiaries as oversized place cards or labels for self-serve food.
Give your snail mail an extra special touch with an antique-style wax seal, available in a slew of designs.
Cards in a pretty pattern—like Liberty's iconic florals—are always good to have on hand for an invite, thank you, or any written correspondence.
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