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狗剩儿
狗剩儿，好呀！今天是你的生日，又长大了一岁。尚傻蛆他们都去参加你的生日了吗？祝你年年有今日，岁岁有今朝！愿你前程似锦，归来仍是少年！记住！爱笑的女孩运气不会差！哈哈哈
n7651
Jan 6, 2022 · Traveled 4 days
张儿
我写的第二封好像不知道发出去没，咋回事张儿？我咋那么笨。再来一遍，这次写完我先复制下来，别到时候又完犊子。首先生日快乐必须说，我这逼呢？回是回不去的，但是一定会准时给你说生日快乐，让夜晚的风给你寄过去，可能会晚那么几秒钟，所以你就稍等，我直接让风传达到你心里，我说，张儿，生日快乐，祝安康！我都服了我
张sir
Jan 12, 2022 · Traveled 1 day
这或许是你收到的第一封信
Hi! 你还记得这封信吗？ 今天是你22岁生日，我有些话想和你说 现在，你对你的未来是否还迷茫？是否还在纠结于当初做的选择？是否还在为一个特殊的朋友所困？是否还在悲观自己的人生？是否还在为过去的努力感到不公和无奈？ 我希望你能坚定而有力的否定我所提出的问题，然后给我一个充满自信的回答 现在的你，应该
用户7573751760
Jan 16, 2022 · Traveled 3 years
未来的一封信
亲爱的芳芳你好，最近过得还好吗，不知道你能不能看到这封信，如果你不换联系方式能看到的话，我很高兴，我的信成功送到你手上了我很高兴，今天是你的生日，祝你生日快乐，原谅我以这样的方式，我已经不在你身边了，可能你已经交了新的朋友吧生活上面要好好爱自己啊，不要哭，脾气别那么倔强啦，嘿嘿嘿真不知道说什么，当时
20年的我
Feb 3, 2022 · Traveled 1 year 6 months
猜猜我是谁
嘿我又来啦，我没有忘记你啊今天是我家小公主生日，提前祝你生日快乐呀那一年的今天我也不知道我在哪，不过没关系，你过的好就好了，不能说太多，就这样哈，真舍不得你，看着日子，你有老大不小了，处对象了没，有没有谈婚论嫁啊，哈哈哈哈，祝福你
20年的我
Feb 3, 2022 · Traveled 2 years 6 months
我又来打扰你
biu~不知道信有没有送到，你有没有看到我又来啦，今年你应该要结婚了吧，我不能送你啦好想看一眼，算了算了，我又痴心妄想了，今天又是你生日，祝你生日快乐哦，你老公应该对你很好吧
20年的我
Feb 3, 2022 · Traveled 3 years 6 months
我是周崽崽哦lzy
宝宝我们这个时候应该还是会好好的腻歪在一起吧宝宝，这个时候可能应该毕业啦嘿嘿嘿，今天是22年2月5号哦，今天你来姨妈发脾气了，嘿嘿嘿，我凶你了，但是不要担心哦，我很爱你，我没有减分过哦，毕业了怎么办呢宝宝，考不上大学怎么办呢宝宝，你家里人看不上我怎么办呢宝宝，哭了我，我太怕我以后没钱了，我太怕你不能
n7703
Feb 5, 2022 · Traveled 3 years
五曦
生日快乐，如果我没记错的话。前三封应该是没寄出去了，中考加油
az
Feb 6, 2022 · Traveled 1 month 11 days
致24年的我
首先祝亲爱的我生日快乐~快乐快乐快乐快乐
不悔
Apr 1, 2022 · Traveled 2 years 8 months
写给好朋友Jiang
生日快乐我的宝，认识两年啦，还记得第一次和你说话的时候，真高冷呀，但是就想和你聊天，其实我不太善于交际，我觉得我就像罗拉一样，你懂的，完了莫名其妙的就玩在一起了，其实友情这玩意最难得的不是遇见好朋友，而是我们慢慢志同道合，这路上走散了好多人，值得庆幸的是还好身边有你，你一直在我的青春里，一起长大，谢
n7839
Apr 3, 2022 · Traveled 1 month 5 days
今年的生日愿望
生日快乐猪宏斌，但是今年我的生日愿望是祝你不幸福，对不起我无法这么坦荡荡祝你幸福。
爱拍照的叶叶子
Apr 29, 2022 · Traveled 2 months 3 days
你还好吗
三年后的自己你好我是20岁的zkx首先祝你也就是我自己生日快乐23岁了不知道是按照妈妈选择的路走还是自己选择的但都希望你别后悔也别怨任何人.也不知道这辈子你有没有遇到能接受你全部坏习惯的人.身边的人都还在身边吗？珍惜身边的人别为了安全感反复把人推开。最后希望你不要像20岁的zkx一样颓废忧郁孤独相信
n7943
May 23, 2022 · Traveled 3 years 5 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