On New Year's Eve, Write to Next Year's You
On the last night of the year, every feed fills up with year-in-review posts and resolutions. Be honest: how many of those are remembered by March? Maybe the real point of New Year's Eve isn't a loud goodbye but a quiet handover — formally passing this year's you to the next. December 31st is one of the busiest writing nights here every year. Some people turn their year-end review into a letter, addressed to themselves on this same night next year. Some seal up three resolutions and treat next year's opening like a prize drawing. And some just want to say, over the sound of fireworks: this time next year, I hope you're doing better than I am tonight. Unlike a post, this letter has exactly one reader — the you of one year from now. There's no audience, so there's no performing, and that's what makes it honest. Below are New Year's letters people chose to share. This year, after the countdown, leave one behind for the same night next year.
How to write this letter
- Sum up the year in three words, then explain why those three. It's the first thing next-year-you will flip to.
- Write three resolutions — but concrete ones. Not "get rich" but "save 30,000." Only checkable wishes are fun to grade.
- Set the scene: who you're counting down with, where you are, whether there are fireworks outside. A year on, this is the part with the most texture.
- Schedule it for next December 31st, and you've started your own New Year tradition.
Real letters from the vault
188 public letters陈桂轩
新年快乐。你也该18岁了。祝你生日快乐今年我17岁你现在18了。 我是15岁的hm
n5978
2020.11.29
一封9月7日的信
现在你在青旅里，新年快乐，现在的你每天都在想一些有的没的，想一些ylsy。不过也还好，是难得的休息时光你应该已经有自己满意的工作，正在大刀阔斧的改造你的人生。也有新对象了吧，已经move on
1831432471
2025.09.07
写给未来的…TONY
最近刚买了房子然后自己觉得还不错的感觉终于有了自己名义下的第一套房子然后接下来 车也想换怎么人生好像除了车房都是这些鬼啊2016年的第一天怎么样 现在的你跟2015年7月的我有什么不一样呢？
托尼哥
2015.07.08
羽羽小姐
羽羽小姐，时间过得飞快，转眼就到2023年了，今天是2023年的第一天，是一个新的开始。此刻，大家正沉浸在新年的氛围里，难忘今宵，就像我的心情，期望能够很快见面。祝福，永远美丽，新年快乐！
菜菜
2022.12.19
来自过去的信
哈哈哈，我猜你看到这个很懵吧，一个月前给你发的，qq时光邮局可能不好用 ，但这个应该可以，马上就要2021年啦，新的一年祝你心想事成，学业进步，所有好运都来临啊哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈
lichenyue
2020.11.29
写给未来的你
今天是2024年第一天 写给未来的你 这个时候你和别人在一起里面 还是我来找你了 我今天晚上真的好爱你啊 特别想你 可能这些都会化为乌有吧 如果这个时候我们已经不联系了 祝你新年快乐
n8540
2023.08.12
2024的爱人
还好吗？高三的压力会很大吗？也许你看不到这封信。我还是要向你庆祝，这一年成长了很多吧！哈哈，你我的激动似乎感应了一下，我们都知道我们发生了什么。这一定还是一个秘密!and新年快乐!
n8459
2023.01.22
又一個十年
寫信的現在我35，明年36系本命年，呢2年都好苦，開心的系何子聰歲半，識得叫人了。姑媽去左加拿大一年幾，前2個星期翻左離，今日生日我地訂左實在靚湯柳宗元房吃飯。10年過去了？！
eason大王
2013.07.20
若时光飞逝
憧憬的着都是害怕失去的。只是你别去放弃初心。一切都好好的就好了。愿你笑颜一直如初 愿你傻人傻福 愿你不忘初心 愿你依旧善良。最后最后圣诞节快乐考个好成绩好好度过这一年吧。
一百个梦里
2016.12.22
元旦快乐
新的一年，祝你财源滚滚生容易，活容易，生活不容易，不知不觉，我已经从一个弱不禁风的小女子，变成一个彪悍的女汉子。新的一年继续加油。不说了，搬砖去。
归零
2017.01.01
我自己
哎呀，妈的，刚看完24年那二比小子写的信，真踏马有激情啊，真牛逼，又是同一个时间，同一个地点，我又抬笔了，但是我也不知道要写什么了。新年快乐
魏文强
2025.02.01
我自己
哎呀，妈的，刚看完24年那二比小子写的信，真踏马有激情啊，真牛逼，又是同一个时间，同一个地点，我又抬笔了，但是我也不知道要写什么了。新年快乐
魏文强
2025.02.01
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from a list of resolutions?
A plan is written for present-you to execute; this letter is written for future-you to read. It doesn't need to be achieved — only honest. That's why it outlives every resolution list.
I missed New Year's Eve. Too late?
Not at all. The first days of January — even the whole month — work fine. Just set delivery for next New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. The ritual lives in the arrival, not the writing.
What if none of my wishes come true — won't the letter sting?
Most people find the opposite: what moves them isn't whether the wishes landed, but rediscovering how last year's self actually thought. The unfinished wishes simply go into the next letter.
On New Year's Eve, Write to Next Year's You
Write yours