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致未来的你
你好，肖砚心。 这是2025年的你写的一封信，我想……问你一些问题: 首先，考上哪所中学啦？学习压力大吗？你应该记得那个你在24年十一月认识的网友吧，他……还在吗？或者，你俩现在，还好吗？（好肉麻） 好啦不说这些啦，今天可是你的生日！我们四角还好吗？就算她们不在，你也要好好的，要开心、快乐、不要消极
13529358863
Apr 3, 2025 · Traveled 11 months 3 days
一封来自2025年4月3日的信
lje，当你看到这封信时，你也已经上大学了吧，不知道你这个时候还记不记得初中有个人喜欢你，今天是你的生日，祝你生日快乐。能在你人生中当个过客也挺好的。希望你天天开心
3147915463
Apr 3, 2025 · Will travel 2 years 6 months
生日
今天是26岁生日啦应该是按了加速键了吧这个是否找到对象了，应该是说结婚我父母的梦想不顾自己还是那么年轻的时候，为什么会感到年龄焦虑呢？去看海了吗？去北京了吗？存款有没有突破30？ 这些其实都不重要啦，每一年的生日不管几岁，生日都是开心的不管几岁，开心万岁，时光不老，我永远都是那么年轻
1440612086
Apr 20, 2025 · Traveled 1 year
予挚爱书
现在是2025年4月20日北京时间下午的5：20分，明天就是我们的一周年纪念日哦！！嘿嘿选了个我觉得挺浪漫的时间写信给你哦（其实我更想写纸质的亲手交给你但不行，有点小小遗憾）😘 致我挚爱的小莹：展信如晤，见字如面。许久未见 现在的你肯定还是那么精灵可爱令我心动吧 今天我们应该还在一起吧我们能一直走下
llf080918
May 10, 2025 · Traveled 2 months 27 days
生日快乐
生日快乐啊，闫淼！你收到这封信的时候，不知道我是否还记得你的生日，是否会给你祝福，毕竟我这个人忘性比较大，嘿嘿，所以在我知道你生日的时候就想这些这封时光之信
s3069988193
May 14, 2025 · Traveled 1 day
生日快乐
生日快乐啊，闫淼！你收到这封信的时候，不知道我是否还记得你的生日，是否会给你祝福，毕竟我这个人忘性比较大，嘿嘿，所以在我知道你生日的时候就想这些这封时光之信
3069988193
May 14, 2025 · Traveled 1 day
给26年的谢秋豪
亲爱的谢秋豪Martin： 亲爱的bb，好久不见。见字如面，展信舒颜，最近你过得怎么样呢？也不知道现在的我还在不在你身边，突然翻到自己有个写信的功能，我就突发奇想给未来的你写一封信。 你猜猜25年的你现在在干嘛——今天你凶我了，特别特别凶，虽然很委屈，但我还是撅着嘴巴去做你叫我干的事情，也不知道此时
2182357482
May 17, 2025 · Traveled 1 year
生日快乐臭屁孩
生日快乐耿云颖臭屁孩，生日快乐大老婆，我应该给你发红包了，不知道你有没有收到，我现在是2025年5月22号给你写的，我之前纠缠你现在看自己像一个情绪怪物一样让你害怕😱吧，我理解你，你现在看到奢求你原谅我之前的纠缠，因为我很在乎你我那个时候跟毒瘾犯了一样才那么做抱歉让你难受了，我后边知道不能那么做了。
2320249901
May 22, 2025 · Traveled 3 months 7 days
生日快乐
Azhe： 不要害怕每一次前行。 生日快乐，恭喜成年。 爱你的 Azhe
Rosalie
Jun 3, 2025 · Traveled 1 month 29 days
🤫
有人快生日了哦，你不打算买个礼物吗？\(•ㅂ•)/♥
Lirix
Jun 6, 2025 · Traveled 11 months 10 days
生日快乐，我的学霸
不知道你今天开不开心，但无论如何，今天是你的生日哎！祝你生日快乐，不只是生日，每一天都要快乐！之前上小学和初一的时候你还一直以本学霸自称，但现在即使你休学了，你也依旧是优秀的学霸。你是一个坚强的人，即使饱受抑郁倾向和阿斯伯格综合征孤独感的折磨，你也活了下去。之前你还一直没有找到一个梦想，但你没想到，
h25996
Jun 15, 2025 · Traveled 2 months 23 days
阿森生快
像星辰闪烁，像风吹雨落像无垠的烟火，像海上的泡沫我们在人生的长途中彳亍人生无限，思想无限，责任也无限在有生之年，做有生之事似乎这才是每个人正确的选择人其实很容易发现身边的人与上一次遇见时的不同但自己在长远的时间线上，前后总有相悖像风抹平沙上的印痕或深或浅的脚印，终会飘散留下的究竟是好是坏唯晴雨自问，
chaoyuan0403
Jun 16, 2025 · Traveled 1 day
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