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小渝同学
小唐宝贝，23岁生日快乐鸭♥ 不知道23岁的狗子过的怎么样?实现你的愿望和人生理想了吗?和18岁的那个他还在一起吗?23岁的小唐和22岁的小静是不是已经拉着各自男朋友一起去旅游了啊?五年以后我们的约定完成了几个呢? 十七八岁的我们想要肆意妄为要志德意满遨游山川和湖海，我有幸听你诉说十六七岁的少女心事
静静子
Dec 27, 2020 · Traveled 5 years
小渝同学
小唐宝贝，23岁生日快乐鸭♥ 不知道23岁的狗子过的怎么样?实现你的愿望和人生理想了吗?和18岁的那个他还在一起吗?23岁的小唐和22岁的小静是不是已经拉着各自男朋友一起去旅游了啊?五年以后我们的约定完成了几个呢? 十七八岁的我们想要肆意妄为要志德意满遨游山川和湖海，我有幸听你诉说十六七岁的少女心事
静静子
Dec 27, 2020 · Traveled 4 years 11 months
致21岁的自己
生日快乐呀！二十一岁的自己！ 转眼之间，已经二十一岁了。二十一年前的今天，母亲疼死疼活的生下了你，你最近好吗？ 这次生日陪你一起过的人都有谁呢？又有谁准时的给你发送了生日祝福呢？收到了些什么生日礼物呢？有没有自己给自己准备一份礼物呢？去年说要买一个吉他送给自己不知有没有完成呢？ 新的一岁，新的开始，
诗洋小姐
Jan 2, 2021 · Traveled 5 months 12 days
亲爱的冰姐
冰姐，生日快乐，看到这封信的时候，还不知道，我在不在你身边，给给你切蛋糕，或者和你吹蜡烛呢，总之先祝福你，总是对的，因为到时候我不一定在，可能因为各种原因。如果不在也请你，体谅一下，谢谢
Starzxd
Jan 16, 2021 · Traveled 1 month 19 days
写给未来的婷姐
当你看到这封信的时候，我感觉很大概率，咱们已经不在一起工作了，到时候给你过生日的不知道会不会有我，所以我现在提前跟你说了，生日快乐，希望生日当天你能收到这封信，不管到时候咱们还在不在一起上班，或者还是不是朋友，还联系不联系，现在我都提前给你祝福了，婷姐，生日快乐，谢谢从我进公司一直以来的关照，还有婷
Starzxd
Jan 16, 2021 · Traveled 9 months 7 days
写给未来的婷姐
当你看到这封信的时候，我感觉很大概率，咱们已经不在一起工作了，到时候给你过生日的不知道会不会有我，所以我现在提前跟你说了，生日快乐，希望生日当天你能收到这封信，不管到时候咱们还在不在一起上班，或者还是不是朋友，还联系不联系，现在我都提前给你祝福了，婷姐，生日快乐，谢谢从我进公司一直以来的关照，还有婷
Starzxd
Jan 16, 2021 · Traveled 9 months 7 days
亲爱的冰姐
冰姐，生日快乐，看到这封信的时候，还不知道，我在不在你身边，给你切蛋糕，或者看你吹蜡烛呢，总之先祝福你，总是对的，因为到时候我不一定在，可能因为各种原因。如果不在也请你，体谅一下，谢谢
Starzxd
Jan 16, 2021 · Traveled 1 month 19 days
婷
非常抱歉婷，想和你说的话，不出意外的话，会在明天才会到达，因为我记错你的生日了，特别来次一封信，告知你一下，如果你到时候能看见的话。希望你别生气呀，因为我记错了。嘿嘿，哪先这样不多说，今天晚上做个好梦，明天见！
Starzxd
Jan 17, 2021 · Traveled 9 months 5 days
kkk
咳咳咳，王总是不是很惊讶我会无聊到给你写信？！！！！！！！也不知道说啥，反正就祝你生日快乐好了，啊哈哈哈哈哈哈又老了一岁，离当叔叔不远了。不知道三月份疫情怎样呢，反正离中考也近了，祝你考上一个理想的高中吧kkk。 来自2021年1月27日刚考完期末闲得无聊的魏小贝！
ahhhh1
Jan 27, 2021 · Traveled 1 month 23 days
kkk
咳咳咳谢大哥生日快乐，你咋这么年轻，我都比你大四个多月1，羡慕ing祝你生日快乐，也祝你考上好高中话不多说 平时跟你说的太多了。 来自2021年1月27日期末刚考完准备第二天和你出去玩的老贝贝。
ahhhh1
Jan 27, 2021 · Traveled 3 months 13 days
可爱的你
生于人间不由我，日出大地同天喜。快马何处寻新欢，乐此不疲只为你。从开始的开始，从结束的结束！生日快乐！
n6400
Feb 3, 2021 · Traveled 2 months 27 days
to水獭哥哥
给最最亲爱的哥哥： 首先祝你生日快乐，当你收到这封邮件时，我一定是第一个祝你生日快乐的人哦。 第一次遇到你的时候我真的没什么印象，一心就想着吃吃吃，但是你很认真的听我的配音作品，我心里的热情一下子激发了出来，想来命运自有安排，在第一次见面时就默默注定了我们的缘分，哥哥真的有在为了我改变，哪怕我因为你
熊猫妹妹
Feb 9, 2021 · Traveled 9 months 23 days
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