On Your Birthday, Write to Next Year's You
Past a certain age, birthdays get quiet. The cake shrinks, the wishes get practical, and even "happy birthday to me" starts to feel like a formality. But your birthday is still the best day of the year for a conversation with yourself — it's the one milestone that belongs to you alone. More and more people mark it the same way: write a letter to next year's you. What did this year of your life add up to? What did you pull off, what did you fumble, what are you wishing for? Seal it, schedule it for your next birthday, and every year you'll receive a letter from the person you were — a relay race run one year at a time, each age handing off to the next. Keep it up and the letters become a private chronicle only you can fully read; one writer went from twenty to thirty, and those ten letters side by side are more honest than any photo album. Below are birthday letters people chose to share. This year, after the candles, do one more thing: leave a few lines for the you of next year.
Ideas to get you started
- Take stock of the year: one thing you're proud of, one regret, one person you're most grateful for. Those three lines are a snapshot of who you are at this age.
- Make three wishes in writing — one for work, one for the people you love, one just for you. Score yourself when you open it next year.
- Record your current baseline: where you live, who you see most, what's worrying you lately. The changes will surprise you in twelve months.
- Schedule delivery for your next birthday and make it an annual ritual. Delivery within a year is free.
Real letters from the vault
587 public letters＜第53天＞艾迪生呀哈哈哈
今天翻到了你的照片哈哈哈 真的好像艾迪生喔嗯 艾迪生 爱迪生 爱钟广迪一生哈哈哈 这个解释满意么不过我可不想给你许什么一生一辈子 我爱你 就这一刻 超级爱的那种今天一开始蛮丧气的 因为..因为... 就是跟朋友吵架了啦 原因呢我就不告诉你了 反正就好难过那会你给我发来了李志的《和你在一起》 嗯我最爱
一只不咬人的文子
Oct 7, 2017 · Traveled 1 month 5 days
收信垃圾
祝自己生日快乐hhhhh2020年了，中国实现全面小康了吗？现在研二了，2020年在干嘛嘞？是在继续读书还是工作了啦？还和坚坚在一起吗，你们之间还有感情吗？hhh坚坚还是那样有时候把人气个半死吗哈哈哈自己呢，还是那样紧张焦虑吗？安稳吗？心理有底吗？暴富了吗？至少脱贫了吗？哈哈哈他妈的这个公司可别倒闭
Shirleyrenn
Oct 8, 2017 · Traveled 2 years 11 months
＜第36天＞说不完的话给你
下午那会写了一封给你 但是数了数日子中间各种原因耽误了十来封 所以最近得多写几封给你 才能完成100封你会理解我的吧 毕竟某个傻逼自己的晚安都没有按时换 其实要我每天从早给你写到晚我也是愿意的啊哈哈哈哈哈哈 要我以后每篇文都写给你也没啥问题 但我不是那种痴情的苦情女 也不想重复一些没意思的话 写给你
一只不咬人的文子
Oct 26, 2017 · Traveled 17 days
您的小可爱撤回了消息，并祝您生日快乐！
意不意外？惊不惊喜？我在2017年12月偷偷写给你的，我不知道我会不会有一天提前告诉你，根据我的niaoxing,应该会的。 2017年，你还是校园清纯大学生！风情万种！青春洋溢！是早晨7点的阳光！前两天的烦恼是：“要考试了，我要好好复习了！”“实习怎么办？”“舍友XXX，XXX我了！……”现在的你
你吃藕阿
Dec 16, 2017 · Traveled 2 years 6 months
写给27岁的自己
亲爱的自己：今天你二十七岁了。好可怕！你已经不属于少女的范畴了。还在南京吗？过得如何？本命年的你做的巧囊手术，没有复发吧？身边有谁陪着你呢？工作如何？父母健康如何？要经常回家。因为今年爸爸就60岁了。妈妈57岁了。真的都是老人了。不要总想着拼搏，好好照顾自己的身体，不让父母担心，才能腾出精力照顾他们
Doris
Dec 28, 2017 · Traveled 1 year 11 months
寄给18岁的邓梦英的一封信
18岁的邓梦英你好： 自我介绍一下，我是13岁的邓梦英，现在在上海合庆中学读初二，有三个很好的闺蜜，卓娉琳，于路瑶，吕喜玉，我有157cm（不到），53kg. 不出意外，你现在应该将要面临最重要的高考了吧，运气好点，就应该在读大一了，或者，已经出来工作了，你应该也和我一样很胖吧，很矮，肯定也是个单身
钟意
Jan 13, 2018 · Traveled 4 years 7 months
Photo letter
寄给18岁的邓梦英的一封信
18岁的邓梦英你好： 自我介绍一下，我是13岁的邓梦英，现在在上海合庆中学读初二，有三个很好的闺蜜，卓娉琳，于路瑶，吕喜玉，我有157cm（不到），53kg. 不出意外，你现在应该将要面临最重要的高考了吧，运气好点，就应该在读大一了，或者，已经出来工作了，你应该也和我一样很胖吧，很矮，肯定也是个单身
钟意
Jan 13, 2018 · Traveled 4 years 7 months
生日快乐 十六岁
考到哪啦 自己满意吗？ 满意就好了啦还追星吗 瘦了没啊？？哈哈哈努力加油！吴欣桐加油！ 为自己创造未来！
n1684
Jan 28, 2018 · Traveled 11 months 17 days
写给未来的…
你好啊，现在是2018年3月2号下午16:51分，我又心血来潮写了封信给自己。。。再过10天就是今年生日了，肯定是没什么人记得啦。不知道两年后的你是怎么样的，学会了更多东西吗，驾照考了吗，有新朋友了吗，考到什么学校了呢，和群里的人还有联系吗，还是就此逐渐淡出他们的生活，究竟选了什么专业呢，对未来有信
XUback
Mar 2, 2018 · Traveled 2 years
生日快乐
哈哈哈，今天是3.23，我要祝大半年后的你生日快乐～老公，你今天跟我说晚安我都没搭理你，你肯定想不到我在给你写信，你肯定又说那么多呢我想跟你说的是，这一年你辛苦了～26岁的你辛苦了，27岁加油
付丹丹
Mar 23, 2018 · Traveled 9 months 18 days
Photo letter
生日快乐猪！
希望不久之后我们不再犹豫，希望一年之后我能跟你一起看到这封信，希望今后的我们幸福快乐，希望我能一辈子都把你照顾好。
谈猪猪的猪
Mar 26, 2018 · Traveled 11 months 5 days
嘿！小伙砸又是我！
嘿！小伙砸！没错又是我，确定不走单招走高考的你不知道这个决定会不会改变以后我的生活但有moniter陪着你，你还害怕什么不管你们最后结果如何，也不知道你八月有没有告诉他，你埋藏在内心的 秘密为了自己努努力吧！！总觉得小时候的自己比长大了的自己更懂得自己的需求现在的自己还怎么跟你说我的理想。要说，可能
心里住了朵云
Apr 1, 2018 · Traveled 8 months
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to write it on the birthday itself?
No — a few days before or after is fine. What matters is the delivery date: set it to next year's birthday, and the arrival becomes the ritual.
Is this only for writing to myself?
Not at all. Plenty of people write to a friend or partner ahead of time, scheduled to land on that person's birthday — a gift that was prepared with a whole year to spare.
What if I forget to write the next one?
The best moment to write next year's letter is right after opening this year's — the feelings are still warm. That's exactly how long-time users keep the chain going.
On Your Birthday, Write to Next Year's You
Write yours