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生日快乐！
偶然获悉这个网站，也不知道自己想对一年以后的自己说些什么，但是就是还是想写一些话给一年后的自己。时光冉冉，每天、每周、每月、甚至到每年都会有些莫名其妙的情愫与感触，有时候觉得时间过得好快，一晃眼一个月就悄无声息的过去了，有的时候呢又觉得时间过得好慢，我想这个可能取决于跟当时的自己的自身情况有关吧。毕
苏利平
Sep 9, 2024 · Traveled 10 months 14 days
来自2024年9月19日的信息，请查收
亲爱的岳佳懿，这个时候的我在新兵连已经过去一个月啦，我自我感觉是非常良好的，也不知道这一个月你过得怎么样，希望你没有受苦受累吧。距离我下连还有最后一个月，到时候手机的管控就会松一些，按照你说的我也好好做，我会好好努力，我一定要给自己最后一个机会。这几年无论是身体还是心里，你已经疲惫不堪伤痕累累了，我
2235666496
Sep 19, 2024 · Traveled 1 month 8 days
生日快乐
祝你生日快乐，认识了快两年了，只给你过了一个生日，离下一个生日还有不到一个月，又分手，又退婚了，我也不知道要说什么，只能希望你快乐吧。不知道现在的你，有人没有陪你过生日，有没有找到合适男朋友，这已经过去一年了， 不知道，我那个时候是否能放下你了。我经常给自己未来写一封信，这次我给你写了一封。还记得我
326943276
Sep 20, 2024 · Traveled 1 year 1 month
生日快乐🎂！
生日快乐🎂！哈哈不知道我们复合了没，但是还是祝你生日快乐，天天开心，也不知道长胖了没，长高了没，和别人相处的好吗？没错，又是我，可能你已经记不得了吧，可能会感觉恶心吧，emmm，但是还是要天天开心哦o(*≧▽≦)ツ。
n8561
Sep 25, 2024 · Traveled 11 months 4 days
生日快乐啊
hello，来自2023/10/16的张淮序祝你20岁生日快乐！
2788013235
Oct 16, 2024 · Traveled 5 months 21 days
致未来的沈星回
Dear my star, 未来的沈星回，你好呀。这是我和你一起度过的第五个生日了，祝我的星星王子生日快乐。 让我来猜猜，你现在一定偷偷躲在花海里又或者傍晚的咖啡厅还是说我们两个人的家的书房里一个人看，淡淡的余晖洒下来，会不会觉得很温暖？秋日凉爽惬意，你可以穿着你最喜欢的毛衣，你一定还留着那件开线的
林晏
Oct 16, 2024 · Will travel 5 years
生日快乐！尹珊珊 ~来自时光邮局的一封信
见字如晤展信舒颜！珊珊，这是我陪你度过的第一个生日，写给你的第一封信。 新的开头，是祝你生快乐！又长大一岁咯，新的一岁希望你开开心心，身体健康，好运常在，我会一直陪在你身边。 今天是我们认识的第190天，恋爱的第82天，总感觉时间过得又快又慢，快的是和你度过的每一秒钟，慢的是好想快点见到你。很开心我
Aaron1
Oct 20, 2024 · Traveled 4 days
写给21岁的朵朵
hi 21岁的朵朵 首先祝你21岁生日快乐呀！！！ 21岁我也还陪在你的身边呀 么么么么 我们认识的时候是幼儿园，那时候是几岁呀，4岁？现在是21岁了，这简直就是，就是，就是，我就是不出来，你自己体会吧哈哈哈哈哈。小时候的我们有想过能和对方玩这么久吗，我不知道，小时候的我没去想过永远，只想过想一直和
liiove_7
Oct 25, 2024 · Traveled 26 days
我是25岁的六六，祝你生日快乐～
嗨，亲爱的六六～ 我是25岁的你，看到这个写信小程序，便想试一试。 查看了下日期，今天是你的生日，祝你生日快乐喽～ 我应该是第一个给你送祝福的吧。 去年这个时候你请大家吃了火锅，朋友们给你买了蛋糕，还是很有仪式感的。 今年，朋友们还在身边吗？或者说你和她们还在一块玩吗？ 你知道的，我是想问她们结婚了
楼六六
Oct 27, 2024 · Traveled 7 months 15 days
成为你想成为的样子了吗
二十岁生日快乐！要永远幸福永远不要放弃希望，少说多做，做决定前想清楚，多去了解不要一无所知盲冲，保持清醒不要放弃机会，管理时间不要白费，你会成为更好的你，不要为任何人而活🥺😙🥰
19155631816
Oct 27, 2024 · Traveled 10 months 2 days
生日快乐
最近过得还好吗？希望你一切顺利，写下这封信的时候或许才是我接受一切过去，好的坏的都过去，起码我们开心过，实在抱歉上次生日给你搞砸，迟来的道歉，希望踏上新征程的你越来越好，生日快乐 衷心祝福你
雪姨萌比
Nov 4, 2024 · Traveled 11 months 1 day
25岁生日快乐
今天就25岁了，时间真的好快，二十万小目标达成了吗，找到对象了吗，估计这个性格还是喜欢一个人吧哈哈哈哈，还是天天开心最重要，真的很好，还是那么年轻哈哈哈
1440612086
Nov 9, 2024 · Traveled 5 months 11 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