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.
How to write this letter
- 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
632 public letters
生日快乐啊！
最近又是发生了许多事情呢。前天学校通知开学延期了。今天小羽满十八岁生日了，在动森里一起挂机，然后看了流星
karson
2020.04.01
写给未来的…
大三了，毕业实习了吗，生活过得怎么样了，有没有未来的目标了，身边的恋人是谁呢，要不断努力下去哟，生日快乐
n4785
2020.02.28
生日快乐 十六岁
考到哪啦 自己满意吗？ 满意就好了啦还追星吗 瘦了没啊？？哈哈哈努力加油！吴欣桐加油！ 为自己创造未来！
n1684
2018.01.28
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
2022.06.07
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
2021.02.03
想你的第不知道多少天
这是来自一个人晚上想你睡不着的晚上，给你寄个邮箱吧，这个点你应该醒啦，祝你生日快乐哈19了也是大孩子了
n5909
2020.11.28
这是来自一年前的一封信
祝你生日快乐，一年后的你，另外，有可能我们那时候已经分道扬镳，祝你开心（其实我还是有点喜欢你的）
2023027864
2024.03.07
生日快乐
我在普罗旺斯很好，观看了'畜群归栏'，请您不要再替我惋惜喧闹和黑暗不堪的巴黎了.
呐鸥
2022.03.09
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
2021.03.06
写给三年后的阿瑛
小瑛，生日快乐！希望现在的你是笑着的希望现在的你工作生活美满希望现在的你已有很爱你的他最后，爱你
小流氓
2013.03.22
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
2022.06.07
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
2022.08.31
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