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
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
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
Photo letter
写给未来的…
刘羽帆： 展信佳。熟悉吗 我还细心的注意到了你应该改了名嘿嘿。现在是中考前哦 惊不惊喜 花肥肥。你现在应该高考完了哈 去上海不！考复旦！你行的！不知道咱俩现在关系还咋样哈哈哈 但是 这时候是我生日哦 懂我意思吗 salute。虽然你现在想去上海 但是我现在挺喜欢杭州 当然考不考得上另说 如果你到时候
pp
Mar 13, 2021 · Traveled 2 years 4 months
写给5年后的自己
5年了也，不知道你现在是什么样子的？害，大学也毕业了，有工作了吗？一切都还好吗？肯定已经结婚了吧。哈哈哈，就离谱还记得初恋嘛？估计已经忘了吧，我现在仍然放不下她，怎么说呢，就很难忘，毕竟是动过真心的，唉，今天是你的生日，生日快乐！！！！
回亿啊
Mar 15, 2021 · Will travel 5 years 8 months
写给20岁的王香洁
生日快乐,20岁的王香洁,嗯,我是18岁的王香洁,现在在读高三嗯,就是跟家里关系闹得不太好然后呢读书呢也没读到重点高中嗯,知道20岁的你在干嘛呢?有没有喜欢的人,然后跟家里人关系怎么样呢就是周围有没有值得信赖的人呀嗯,也是以二开头的年纪了,嗯,希望你能稳重一点,然后就是不知道你能不能还想起来2020
雾归于平川
Mar 27, 2021 · Traveled 2 years 1 month
宝
宝 18岁生日快乐 宝是一个成年人啦 未来的路会是什么 谁也不知道 宝 今天是3月29宝 生日快乐生日快乐生日快乐在未来要照顾好自己 我也会照顾好我的我不在身边 要加油哦你是一个知道自己目标有追求的人 小孩子脾气也很重宝乖哦 不管我还在不在你身边 我还是那个爱你的小孩白头若是雪可替 世间何来伤心人1
n6879
Mar 29, 2021 · Traveled 2 months 10 days
给未来的自己
今天是你25岁的生日了,是时候打开有道云笔记了,看看你当初的梦想清单完成了多少,如果没完成也不要气馁,大不了我们在来一年继续,一定要爱护自己!!! skr~~~
n7026
Apr 27, 2021 · Traveled 2 years 6 months
Photo letter
G阿婆
飞飞，阿婆祝你生日快乐！在你身边的人应该还是我吧，如果是我请看1：如果不是我请看2：1：如果现在我还在你身边我们应该结婚了吧，2021年4月的阿婆想问2022年11月的飞飞，我们有宝宝了没，是男孩女孩呀？我希望是个女孩，不过是男孩也没有关系，下一胎我们再努力生女孩，嘿嘿！宝宝是像你多还是像我多啊？我
g阿婆
Apr 28, 2021 · Traveled 1 year 7 months
给王灿的
这是我们认识的十年 也是你的生日祝你生日快乐 希望我们又下一个十年 我想现在的我应该不想十年前一样喜欢你了
贱贱一笑很倾城07096
May 4, 2021 · Will travel 6 years 6 months
好像是一封来自不知道是谁的信
嗨～知道我是谁m？ 不知道？没关系 猜一猜ma 猜到了我就告诉你是kk（不过这些都不是重点啦）今天是个好日子诶～今天是小鹿的生日！！！！！！！我先来我先来(｡･ω･｡)我先祝小鹿生日快乐ooooooooooooo！！！！！！ 哈哈哈哈我隔着屏幕都能感受到小鹿今天一定很高兴趴～ 问我为什么知道？ 因为
kkkkkkk
May 6, 2021 · Traveled 1 month 22 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