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！
生日快乐！不知道有没有人给你过。 祝你好运2019.3.28加油
n4140
2019.03.28
写给17岁的文涛
17岁的文涛，先向你说声生日快乐!
wuli纯纯的巧克力牛奶
2018.10.16
写给未来的…
成年的我你好吗?工作怎么样？今天就是十八岁啦，谁和你一起过的生日，家里还好吗？18岁生日快乐
n1731
2016.10.26
写给未来的我
今天又是你的生日了。这时你在读哪个学校。虽然我不知道。但是好好努力吧。她会喜欢你的。。。。
n735
2015.04.04
写给2020的银晨曦
你过得怎么样啊？有没有我想象得好啊，有没有当上律师，有没有争气，今天是你的生日，生日快乐
n1302
2016.01.11
写给未来的…
生日快乐啊十三岁的李荀霏。你还好吗？？恭喜你又老了，我现在比你年轻哦你还是个沙雕吗？？
拆迁
2019.12.15
致十八岁的自己
首先，祝十八岁的你生日快乐祝你活成自己现在想要的样子一定记住，善良很难，所以才要坚持。
画眉
2018.09.21
给40岁的你
四十岁快乐啊 40岁的陈同志 当你看到我写的信的时候 应该已经大腹便便了吧
手机用户1772640012
2015.06.14
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
2022.04.01
你还好么？
今天你生日，不论这两天发生了什么，今天一定要记得开心哦，爱你，么么哒争取mi Ta呦
朝呐
2019.12.20
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
2022.04.29
臭蛋，生日快乐！
臭蛋，28岁啦!生日快乐~希望你永远健康、平安、快乐、幸福！我爱你！723sd妞宝
妞宝
2016.04.26
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