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.
Ideas to get you started
- 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
144 public letters给未来的自己
首先祝你新年快乐，你现在过的还好吗，那个女孩子最后和你怎么样了，你们最后在一起了吗，结婚了吗，孩子叫什么名字，我现在过的很好，每天上13个小时班生活过的非常充实，已经有一个多月没有休息过了，一直嚷嚷着想要出去玩却一直都一直以没有时间为借口，你现在过的怎么样过上想要的生活了吗，还是在外面漂泊吗，几年回
人生漫长我劝你好生走路y
Jun 16, 2018 · Traveled 4 years 6 months
致100天后依然阳光灿烂的你
Hello 亲爱的你 新年快乐 我猜你收到这封信的时候 大概已经跟着大家一起读到《傲慢与偏见》了 不知道那时候的你是否碰上了属于你的达西先生 还记得小时候初读达西像伊丽莎白表白时的那份悸动嘛 向往着也能像伊丽莎白那样 遇到能为自己放下骄傲 真诚表达内心的达西 能为她解决烦恼。。。不管新年伊始的你会是
n3504
Oct 20, 2018 · Traveled 2 months 12 days
Photo letter
写给未来的…
新的一年俏俏来了.时光踏下轻盈足迹.走过岁月,留下故事,元旦,愿你快乐
刘沃
Oct 25, 2018 · Traveled 2 months 7 days
Photo letter
写给未来的…
,新春,走在旅途上.疲惫旅途,雀跃心情.回家路上,永远有人在等你.
刘沃
Oct 25, 2018 · Traveled 3 months 11 days
噔噔
亲爱的噔噔，元旦快乐哦！你当初的坚持一定会得到回报我～
n3607
Nov 7, 2018 · Traveled 1 month 25 days
100天
100天不长，100天不短。这100天里不知道你有没有下定决心换了工作，你有没有坚持下来健身的计划，你有没有帮助爸爸一起改造好了新家，也不知道你的新婚知否满意。100天了，你那儿也该过年了，先给你许个新年愿望吧，做过的选择不会让你后悔，19年的生活更加充满希望。至少，我相信你，薄荷阅读应该读完了吧
n3633
Nov 7, 2018 · Traveled 3 months
to Joyce after 100 days
100天后如果你一天未曾间断地读完了这些书，驾照也拿到手了，咨询书第二遍也完成了（第一遍通读教材，第二遍，利用习题画重点），那就让史哥哥给自己奖励一个新年礼物吧，一副贵重的首饰，（耳环或者项链）。
n3687
Nov 21, 2018 · Traveled 3 months 7 days
写给未来的自己
首先谢谢七年后的你，这几年你一定过的艰辛、迷茫又无助，虽然我不能帮助你什么，但我确实是最能理解你的人。此时或许你小有成就，亦或停滞不前，但我依然真诚的希望你怀揣着梦想，不屈平凡，保持一颗阳光的心态，迎接生活，不要忘记那些在你困难时候帮助过你的人。此时，阳光正在升起，祝君于新的一年快乐！！！来自一个正
NICETO
Jan 1, 2019 · Traveled 7 years
小小少年
Dear Silem,Happy New Year.一年又一年，不知该如何去感叹时光匆匆。过去的一年里你过的好吗？英语有没有进步？工作有没有突破？我希望都有！除夕夜要开心，去见你想见的人吧，趁年华未老，趁他未娶，你未嫁。我希望父母，姐姐身体健康，平安大吉。2020年了，20年就这样过去了，人生还有多
Silem
Feb 24, 2019 · Traveled 11 months
Photo letter
新年快乐
新年快乐一定要平安，幸福我爱你，爱你，爱你
神仙要去哪里找
Jul 1, 2019 · Traveled 6 months
hi,su
你看到这封信的时候应该是又回到学校了把，过完年的你怎么样，一切还好吗？对新的一年有哪些新的展望么？
sususu
Nov 14, 2019 · Traveled 3 months
写给小狗
嗨新年好呀元宵节快乐呀情人节快乐呀雷锋日快乐呀妇女节快乐呀植树节快乐呀每天快乐呀今天你快乐了吗
鹤鹤酱
Mar 13, 2020 · Traveled 1 day
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