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露露24岁生日快乐！
嗨！露露！祝你生日快乐愿你每一岁都生活在我的热爱里有你在我身边，就是我最大的幸福！爱你by小熊
熊金鹏
Jun 7, 2022 · Traveled 1 year 5 months
露露生日快乐！
柴佳露同志祝你生日快乐第三个年头希望依旧是我只能是我爱你by熊金鹏
熊金鹏
Jun 7, 2022 · Traveled 2 years 5 months
柴佳露生日快乐by小熊
（1）ps：这是蜡烛嘿，没错。小露与大熊第四个年头快许个愿吧（ps：愿我们一直都在）我们要好好的在一起
熊金鹏
Jun 7, 2022 · Traveled 3 years 5 months
露露我是不是已经不在你身边了？
你胃疼，一定要按时吃饭膝盖好些了吗？打雷还怕么？枕边人还是我么？想到这里好难过心里好压抑祝你生日快乐啊不许你不开心不打扰，是我最后的温柔
熊金鹏
Jun 7, 2022 · Will travel 4 years 5 months
给五年后的张小姐
你好很高兴能以这种方式与你相见。今天是你的生日啊 生日快乐！这个时候的你已经二十三岁了呀，不知道有没有男朋友，能不能经济独立，少让爸妈操劳，多多关心关心他们吧 我知道你很爱他们，要勇于表达自己的情感啊，我知道你对越亲近在乎的人越是羞于表达自己的情感 不要害羞 你爱着他们 他们也深爱着你。抽空多回家，
不知道怎么取名字
Jun 19, 2022 · Will travel 4 years 7 months
生日快乐
致你： 生日快乐，过去的一年你辛苦了。心中思绪万千，落笔却无言。 你真是我见过最特别的女孩。知世故却又不世故，内心还保有独特的天真。那些不被理解独自难过甚至他人随意编排你被你知晓的时刻你总说没关系，其实你比谁都脆弱。你看起来是坚强是乐观，但也不过是个姑娘。姑娘是要呵护的。你喜欢看海，想要去西藏，偏爱
远山悲悯
Jun 19, 2022 · Traveled 4 months 28 days
给未来的姐姐
亲爱的姐姐 我想你应该知道我是谁，在学校里，应该除了我，没人会这样叫你。我是无意间发现时光邮局这个东西的，所以我也是想试试有没有用。我还特意选在了你的生日这天。同时感谢你，愿意让我以姐姐的称呼来叫你。我之所以这样子做，是因为我小时候的那位姐姐对我影响太深了，然后我也只能说你们很想，嗯~~在某些方面上
李大勇
Jun 28, 2022 · Traveled 4 months 9 days
写给未来的…
今天是我的生日，祝你生日快乐，不知道你结婚了吗，7月份谈的对象怎么样了，工作顺利么，多回家看看父母，多注意自己的身体，你的帐还的怎么样了，要多想想未来，你加油(ง •̀_•́)ง
娇羞的胡萝卜
Jul 23, 2022 · Traveled 2 months 15 days
18岁的圆圆
hii 可能这是18岁前的你给你写的最后一封信了今天有一个好消息呢是，你痛恨的周永光终于不再是你的班主任了彼时你已经开学一个月了吧 王琦人怎么样呀？ohh希望她比周永光好喔!你也马上和zyw谈满一年了 今天就是因为他不找你所以你才无聊到给自己写信的哈哈哈不知道18岁的你和他是不是还谈着呢 几率或许还
vopoto
Jul 31, 2022 · Traveled 1 month 23 days
写给未来的自己
hello赵梦瑶～祝你生日快乐！我是18岁的你，我现在正躺在床上给你写这封信，好惬意～高考完的这个暑假实在无聊但轻松。我现在的状态是，很期待大学的生活，但我又有点担心未来的同学或是舍友不好相处。对于今天的我来说，大事是晚上要去参加一个饭局，见我不想见的坏人。唉，并不是事事能顺心啊。你大概比我更能了解
n8092
Aug 7, 2022 · Traveled 3 years
写给两年后的你
要是我们还在继续的话这是我们谈的两年零七十四天，今天是你的生日，在这祝你生日快乐，开心每一天
睡觉分节符
Aug 31, 2022 · Traveled 2 years
endless
这是第二封一模一样的信現在的時間是2022年9月16日週五14:27 初三上冊開學的第二週 兩週網課下週復學 下週開始晚自習 我現在就乾著急不想跑步 妳收到信的時候應該是中考體育模擬左右吧 我那時候體育有沒有變好了 今天是妳的生日 初中的最後一個生日 但是今天收到信的時候是週四吧 妳週五可能才看到
endless
Sep 16, 2022 · Traveled 6 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