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
636 public letters和怡诗我想你了呀祝我生日快乐
2021年了今天我生日诶这次又要一个人过生日了，我好想你啊真的好想你啊每天都在想你做梦梦到你找我了我好开心可惜醒来才发现是梦。每天脑子里面都会出来我们一起的日子现在真的好难熬啊我真怕我熬不过去，其实分手哪天你已经冷落我一个星期了我知道你已经想跟我分开了，我看了你的微博知道你过的很好但是我还是死皮赖脸
吕哥哥
Dec 6, 2020 · Traveled 2 months 17 days
写给未来的你
你过得还好吗，我们还在一起吗，你还喜欢我吗，你考上了想去的大学了吗。希望你不要迷茫，就算不喜欢我了也不要给自己增添负担，希望你能真正长大，祝你18岁生日快乐，虽然今天不是你生日。
n6186
Dec 6, 2020 · Traveled 1 year
30岁生日快乐
希望30岁之前所有的遗憾都是往后来年惊喜的铺垫，新年快乐！
n5760
Dec 12, 2020 · Will travel 9 years 1 month
你2020年的小宝贝给你写的信到啦
哈喽，哥哥，生日快乐哦！！！嘿嘿嘿，一时间不知道该跟你说些啥 emm,特地选择在你生日这天把信送到你手里哦，这个时候我应该在你身边，记得偷偷看，我可不想看自己5年前说的啥，可能会羞死人。是不是很好奇我为啥会给你写信，你肯定想不到是我在刷抖音刚好想到的，其实之前就准备写但是一直没找到机会，好叭，其实就
小迷糊
Dec 16, 2020 · Traveled 4 years 8 months
Photo letter
给十年后的自己
啊啊啊啊啊，陈秋宁！！！我要疯了，刚刚我在给你写信的时候不小心点到了刷新，我giao，结果我写的一大段话都没有了，气死我了，我要缓一下。OK了我重新来，你好陈大头，我是十年前的你，我现在18岁，是处于大四上册的阶段，现在准备期末考试了，好累啊，黄献莹老师的说课简直就是魔鬼啊，太恐怖了，要背说课稿和课
卑微小陈zz
Dec 22, 2020 · Will travel 9 years 5 months
寄给25岁的胡女士
“海压竹枝低复举，风吹山角晦还明” 生日快乐25岁的胡女士，
来自LipEnG
Dec 24, 2020 · Traveled 5 years 3 months
寄给25岁的胡女士
“海压竹枝低复举，风吹山角晦还明” 生日快乐25岁的胡女士，
来自LipEnG
Dec 24, 2020 · Traveled 5 years 3 months
Photo letter
给胡小姐的信
亲爱的，没有想到会收到我的来信吧?哈哈哈哈哈如果我们现在还在一起的话，我今年已经22岁了，到了可以领证结婚的时候，步入社会，我也一-定会经历了很多吧，不知道这个时候你会不会在我身边，如果这个生日还在我身边，我一定会特 别高兴，兴奋激动的告诉你，我们可以去领证了!现在是2020年12月24号，今天晚上
用户7540056372
Dec 24, 2020 · Traveled 3 years 5 months
写给未来的我们
乖乖，我们分开也有半年了，想到从你丢下我的那天，我真的慌了，我一直努力去改变去争取，可是我最后没想到你会无缝连接别人，可能你真的爱他吧，你是我这辈子真正用心去喜欢的女孩子，我就这样在一旁看着你去爱别人，我什么都做不了，他把你从我手中抢走了，却没有好好保护好我的乖乖，我也没想到你会这么轻易就把自己交付
n6280
Dec 25, 2020 · Traveled 9 months 11 days
嗨，好久不见。
嗨，生日快乐！我是那个少不经事也曾红着脸天不怕地不怕扬言要出来做一番“大事业”的你未来的你还好吗？是否还像现在一样无忧无虑随心所欲，开开心心除了吃饭就是睡觉？现在的你是什么样子的呀？好期待呀！可不要像现在的样子啦！该好好赚钱了！现在的我社交恐惧症好了很多呢！现在的我是鼓起勇气和你说话的...以前都是
n6281
Dec 26, 2020 · Traveled 4 years 10 months
Photo letter
冉雨大朋友
冉雨，两年后你应该成了大人了吧。 我们分手已经两年啦 。我不知道我为什么会这样，就想粘着你 想了解你的所有事情一直都很注重细节的我竟然没想到这样会让你讨厌我 疏远我 我只想拥有你 只想奔向你 和你一起奔向那遥不可及的梦 叫做爱情的白日梦。我还想和你一起吃饭 一起逛街 一起…… 哈 话说你又过完20岁
n6284
Dec 26, 2020 · Traveled 1 year 11 months
To小夏同学
小夏同学： 今天是2020年12月27日距离明年还有4天，距离你生日还有17天17天过后你就24岁了。其实，我也不知道要写着什么给你只是这个时光信箱，抱着试一试的态度！两年过后我们结婚了吗？有自己的小孩了吗？是你喜欢的女儿吗？我想告诉你的是和你在一起我想我是幸福的，我也不用去长大，仍然有我的小脾气你
n6288
Dec 27, 2020 · Traveled 2 years
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