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
588 public letters。
生日快乐周彤彤，当你看到这封信的时候我们都毕业了，这是一封来自2021年12月16号的邮件，本来想上次去找你的时候给你留一封这个，虽然没啥用，那次去的目的，就是让你删了我，我不想删好友，所以就很邋遢的过去了，都说第一印象很重要，我留下了个这么坏的印象，不要在记着了，就那一次是
n6687
Feb 16, 2021 · Traveled 1 year 6 months
未来的憨憨
亲爱是憨憨，我是来着2021年2月16日的唐淑贤，现在的你应该在过成年的生日啦，你也成了一个大男孩了，不知道你现在有没有女朋友，我们还有没有联系了，咱俩是因为王者认识的，那时候打游戏，真的一开始就感觉你好小，很好说话，就不内向的那种，然后就加了QQ，一直和你一块打游戏，聊天什么的，说实话也不知道天天
长安归故里30995
Feb 16, 2021 · Traveled 2 years 1 month
Photo letter
TVT
生日快乐周彤彤，当你看到这封信的时候我们都毕业了，这是一封来自2021年12月16号的邮件，本来想上次去找你的时候给你留一封这个，虽然没啥用，那次去的目的，就是让你删了我，我不想删好友，所以就很邋遢的过去了，都说第一印象很重要，我留下了个这么坏的印象，不要在记着了，就那一次是
n6692
Feb 16, 2021 · Traveled 1 year 6 months
写给未来的憨憨
亲爱是憨憨，我是来着2021年2月16日的唐淑贤，现在的你应该在过成年的生日啦，你也成了一个大男孩了，不知道你现在有没有女朋友，我们还有没有联系了，咱俩是因为王者认识的，那时候打游戏，真的一开始就感觉你好小，很好说话，就不内向的那种，然后就加了QQ，一直和你一块打游戏，聊天什么的，说实话也不知道天天
长安归故里30995
Feb 16, 2021 · Traveled 2 years 1 month
（无标题）
一些话，你还是等23号看看那封信吧，我实在是想不起来那天说的什么话了我祝商冰涵小朋友生日快乐！愿新的一年 所期皆所念 所念皆所愿 所愿皆所得.即使年年不见也要岁岁平安要比肩并立成为更好的大人！！！！！！！！！……嘻嘻
n6708
Feb 17, 2021 · Traveled 1 day
写给未来的宋佳琪
今天是你的生日！！！生日快乐啊五年后的宋佳琪！！！！！有没有遇到喜欢的人啊？真怕你孤独终老……很显然…你非常有孤独终老的潜质，我猜你现在还是个孤寡王…生日有人陪你一起过吗？我陪你啊❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤小逼崽子要开心啊，敢厌生的话我削你！！！
宋佳琪
Feb 18, 2021 · Traveled 5 years 4 months
写给未来的冯乐
真的懒得写，哈哈哈哈哈哈...emmmm也不知道靠不靠谱，反正就写着玩玩，你现在过的好吗，那人对你好吗，那人会给UCFP:1 b0404fc-6787-4c3d-a874-38aa63f8bf14-1613397075074你养老吗，那人会给你洗脚...五年后的现在，应该是你的生日，不要问我为什么挑
宋佳琪
Feb 19, 2021 · Traveled 5 years 3 months
送给三个月后的自己
哇 好巧 刚好是你的生日 祝你生日快乐三个月 就来个小目标吧减肥10斤 背完四级单词每晚认真护肤
Massie00
Mar 6, 2021 · Traveled 3 months
写给未来傻不拉几的自己
亲爱的憨批你猜我是谁呀！最近过得怎么样，这个盛世有没有让你惊艳呀，心上人是否和你在一起，父母是否过得好有没有和他们吵架。你混的怎么样啊有没有受很多欺负啊哈哈哈，好啦不嘲笑你了你知道今天是什么日子吗没错今天是女神节，昨天一个重要的人给你说了离别的话的日子很委屈吧有没有分开啊，以前就不会说话的你可要坚持
n6810
Mar 8, 2021 · Traveled 3 years 3 months
给薇薇的洋崽
我最喜欢的宝宝 今天是5.7号 是我的今年的生日啦 如果此时此刻我们还没有分手的话 我们俩已经在一起210多天啦 好快啊 都要一年啦。 我们俩在一起那么迅速 5天就做好的决定 没想到会在一起这么久 也没想到我会这么喜欢你。不知道此时此刻我们俩还在一起吗 我想我那么喜欢你 一定不会轻易就把你放走的 但
n6816
Mar 9, 2021 · Traveled 1 month 28 days
写给20岁的刘小嘉
生日快乐！！！20岁的刘小嘉你好呀，我是19岁的杨泓垚。想来想去还是搞了个花里胡哨的东西，礼物我给你寄过去啦，不用想着退回来，也不用想着怎么偿还给我，这就仅仅是个礼物啦，怎么说呢，我的观念是，好是相互的，不存在谁欠谁，但是你的观念好像不太一样，感觉我对你好只会带来人情和负担，观念不同我们好像都挺累的
n6824
Mar 10, 2021 · Traveled 3 months 18 days
Photo letter
给蒙玮琪的一封信
大笨蛋，生日快乐！我在3月10日提前祝你生日快乐哦，想我我家宝贝能高高兴兴，学习超好，越变越好看，我越来越喜欢，日子还长，我们慢慢过
n6827
Mar 10, 2021 · Traveled 5 months 5 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