What was your best postcrossing experience?

[anon80791886]

Share your best experiences with postcrossing or postcards in general!

Have you met a friend through shared love of postcards? Have you ever recieved something so wonderful that you still keep smiling at thought of it? Maybe you’ve found your long lost childhood friend through postcrossing?

I keep seeing people sharing unpleasant experiences and those are valid and important, but I’m more willing to share those very pleasant ones. I think we all need some positivity.

I’ll share mine as well.
I have written in my profile that I collect vintage (pre 1980’s) postcards. Not solely those of course, but the thing is I’ve specified that I love old cards, especially if they are older than 40 years. I don’t really expect people sending those, but who knows, maybe someone shares that love.
This wonderful woman from Russia has send me an envelope - a postcard from 1960 with, then, Leningrad and a wonderful message. She seemed like such a kind person! Not only that, she said something like “sorry I don’t have any postcard from the 80’s, but I’ve found those recipes for some traditional pastry”. The recipes were in Russian, which I don’t speak, but it was an opportunity to meet my friend who does know Russian and bake those together.
She has send me some beautiful stamps and a sticker that fits my aesthetic perfectly.

I was so overwhelmed with how kind she was, I send her a letter with some old stamps (my grandma was a collector many years ago, but got bored of it after a while), a 100 year old postcard and some stickers inspired by Polish art from the 1980’s. I hope she has a wonderful life, wherever she is.

I have many more from my days pre-postcrossing, maybe I’ll share with ya’ll later.

What was your wonderful postcard experience? Or experiences, plural?

[PinkNoodle]

Thank you for this topic, Jagna! I agree–we need a good dose of joy here. I have been guilty myself of reflecting on negative experiences, and I’m looking forward to reading happy ones as an antidote!

I have had so many lovely exchanges in Postcrossing, it’s hard to pick a “best”! From fun and encouraging messages from Forum members, to amazing postcards and stamps I have received “officially,” I feel like I’ve had the best luck in the world.

A few Postcrossers have asked to send a card in return, which has led to further ongoing exchanges of “happy mail”! Recently, a user who liked the card I sent her sent me an adorably silly souvenir keychain in the shape of a fried chicken chop, and it brings me so much joy every time I look at it. I have received birthday cards and gifts from people I have met through Postcrossing, and all kinds of warm, friendly messages from all over. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the love.

[katie333]

I was just thinking about starting a similar topic! I joined officially about a month ago and my first cards are just starting to be registered, which is very exciting. All the profiles I received were nice, and reasonable and didn’t come across pushy or demanding. All recipients have been very kind in their comments even though I’m sure some of my beginner cards may not have been considered very desirable.

[Mattie07]

One of my best experiences was that I had sent someone some stamps because the person collects stamps, and I collect stamps, and hey I have quite a few duplicates so why not? And then the person sent me some stamps back, plus a postcard a while later, which all prompted a short exchange of some small gifts and postcards which was really lovely.

Also, one time when I had just started postcrossing someone loved the card I’d sent a lot and sent me a thank you card with some torn off envelopes stamps inclosed, plus a few unwritten cards. I was just really touched that the person liked the card apparently so much to do that.

There are some more examples of these, but these two are the first ones to come to mind. Overall postcrossing has been a lovely experience for me so far ^-^

[mchay]

i can’t really think of one big thing, but recently i got a hurray message, it was quite long, talking about her pets and the weather and things. few minutes later i got another message saying ‘i wrote so much i forgot to say i absolutely love the card’. which she actually didn’t because she started her hurray message with ‘thank you for the wonderful card’ so i got the idea.
but that little thing put a smile on my face.

oh and a few years ago i stated on my profile that i love cards with apes and monkeys and one time i got this pretty ugly sort of statue? ( i don’t know if i’m allowed to add a link?) but the sender said they’ve read i like monkeys and they hope i like it. it’s kinda hilarious but the message is so sweet i will never forget that card.

[Regndroppar]

I once got an extra card in addition of an official card from a Canadian postcrosser. I had a note in my profile saying that I’d love to received Haunted Canada/Le Canada hanté stamps from Canadians. (For those who don’t know: stamps which portray Canadian urban ghost stories, such as Lady in White, Bell Island Hag). She had sent a pre-paid Haunted Canada/Le Canada hanté postcard (like this) to me as well! I sent her then a maximum card as a thank you as I felt it was absolutely necessary after what she had done.

Last summer I met a German postcrosser who was on holiday here in Finland and had a lovely mini-meeting (at first a few other postcrossers were supposed to come as well, but they never showed up). After that we have exchanged postcards between us and kept in touch via WhatsApp and that’s been a really pleasant thing to get to know someone from Postcrossing!

[whitefroststreetboi]

There were a number of Postcrossers who actually sent me more than 1 postcard in an envelope, where they wrote on 1 and the rest were unwritten.

There were also Postcrossers who chose beautiful stamps that matched the theme of the postcards, and being a philatelist, that made me really happy too.

I’m heartened to read messages from different Postcrossers, and some of them talk about their day so excitedly I can feel the excitement through the postcards!

[miriginger]

Once I wrote a postcard in Finnish to a Finnish postcrosser, in hurray message she offered me help with my studies and asked something. I replied, wrote that I was going to study in Finland, then she invited me to visit her town. So later, when I was in Finland, she showed me her town, we spent a lovely day together.

[Axolotl_]

I learned that in Postcrossing, you meet people who are super nice and lovely unexpectedly all the time!
For example, I’m more active in the forum now that we have the new forum, and one Postcrosser made me a spider Christmas card (as everybody here seems to know I love spiders ) that was so lovely! Just like that.
I’ve also had some swaps with people who are soo nice, and we had nice conversations that were about more than just cards.
Then there’s someone on the official site I never thought I’d like to swap with so much, as the person is of a completely different generation than me, but we share an interest in stamps. I ended up ordering the two missing stamps from Deutsche Post for their collection because they were being so nice.
And then there are all these people who send me handmade cards and I can really see the effort they take. And I love to see what these creative people make with a bit of paper! And so many Postcrossers have drawn me small spiders on my cards.

Postcrossers are just a lovely group of people, I feel like so many of them go the extra mile to put a smile on a stranger’s face. Postcrossing has really helped me coping with the isolation through Covid in the last year.

[anon80791886]

My craziest and somehow the best postcards experience was actually before I joined postcrossing, I hadn’t even known it exist.

Ever saw that viral video of a guy who asked every embassy possible for a flag of the country they are representing? He got a whole lot flags in the end and inspired a crazy and a bit stupid idea in me.
My 18th birthday was coming and I wanted to celebrate it in some way that wouldn’t be just having a party. I thought of growing my collection - I had circa 250 postcards then and decided that I will make it my goal to double that number by my birthday.
(Have in mind I did that whole thing before the pandemic started)

I had no idea where to get postcards and didn’t want to just buy them. So, I started searching - every possible city I could think of + tourist information. I checked so many sites if they send promotional material and how to contact them, that I felt my brain melting. Anyway, I started emailing them explaining the whole idea and asking for postcards. I doubted anyone will respond, because I was basically asking for free stuff.

Then, the city of Bern, Switzerland responded. They said that they sent me a postcard and wished my early happy birthday. More and more places responded - I got some rejections (which I expected), but many were very positive.
I received quite a lot of packages - postcards from Switzerland, Estonia, USA, Australia, Malta, San Marino, Czechia and many many more. I also got maps, flags and even a beautiful magazine about Gotland (fully in Swedish, I don’t understand a thing)! It was unreal!

I wouldn’t encourage asking tourist information offices for free stuff, especially during the pandemic. I would recommend checking if they have shops and support them buying souvenirs from there, which I started doing myself, when it’s possible for me. Please don’t bother people with unwanted requests.

[amullari]

I write on every card as much as it is possible. I like postcards and gathered a big collection of them to send by postcrossing. I’m so happy that many people don’t bother to answer more than very few words. For example on last Saturday I received two wonderful reactions: one from a women in Russia: “Thank you very much for the beautiful postcard, wonderful stamp and interesting story! You made my day happy!” and other one from a man in Germany “thanks for your good looking postcard and your interesting description” (I removed Hello and Best wishes parts)

[Nique]

@amullari you are a PERFECT representative for Postcrossing!

[nnniiina]

I once received this beautiful papercut art with a postcard from a Chinese Postcrosser. Unfortunately I can’t remember who sent it because it was more than 10 years ago. I still remember how happy I was when I saw this in the envelope next to the card. I loved it so much I framed it immediately and it always have had the best spot in my apartment.
I’m sorry for the quality of the picture. It was taken in 2012 and I’m visiting my parents now so I can’t take new photo at the moment.

[MostlyMess]

Oh so many! Here are a few that spring to mind:

• I recently received a beautifully decorated and stamped envelope with three (!) beautiful postcards covered top to bottom with tiny, beautiful handwriting telling me in detail about the garden-themed cards and the sender’s garden. As if that wasn’t enough, the envelope also contained three little packets of flower seeds from the sender’s own garden. I can’t wait to plant them and watch them grow.

• On my profile I prompt senders to draw what they think I look like. I have received many creative drawings, each different.

• I once got the address of someone who lived within walking distance of where I was stationed at the time. Unfortunately, it was during the lock-down, so I couldn’t deliver it personally. (Since I didn’t change my Postcrossing location during that time, the card is in the system as having traveled a much longer distance).

• I received a card from an American who wrote of her Swiss ancestors who emigrated to the US. Turns out they lived in the next town over from where I grew up.

• All the cards in general where it’s clear the sender went to a lot of effort to get everything “just right”, those are really a joy to receive.

[AnMiSa]

It is the story behind the cards, that makes it so interesting for me. I met some kind pen pals through cards I’ve sent or received, learnt about homeschooling (before the Covid crisis), swapped cards with self-made photos and experienced this: One of my first cards was one printed with my own photo I took of Castle Basedow. Some days later I got a comment from another postcrosser from Belgium who just wrote “Schloss Basedow”. I was surprised how he found out and asked of course. He was a collector of castle postcards, had favorited the card and wanted to know which castle it is. He found it out in internet though it is quite a small castle in a small village here in the north of Germany. For this effort I wanted to send him the original card. And this way we exchanged some more castle postcards between Belgium and Germany. Sadly he someday didn’t reply and I don’t know what happened to him.

[reiselustig]

I completely agree that the postcrossing community holds many,many very friendly and warm persons!

Well, there are many really nice experiences and contacts with postcrosseres, but I have immediately three in my mind.

1. In the beginning I said on my profile that Australians would make my day with a wombat postcard. This wonderful Australian lady sent an envelope with a kangaroo card (I think) and apologized that she was not able to find a wombat postcard, but a wombat magnet, which she enclosed into the envelope - I was really thrilled - but this is not the end of that nice story, because in the weeks and months after that, everytime when she saw somewhere a wombat postcard she bought it and send it to me!! So after her first mail I received 3 or 4 more postcards or folded cards with wombats! That impressed me a lot and gave me a feeling what it is be like to be a postcrosser!
2. Last year during pandemic I received a lovely decorated envelope with a very beautiful postcard and some flower seeds! I thought this was such a nice idea to male people smile in these times (maybe it was the same person who seent it to @MostlyMess as well??). I put them on my balcony and they were blooming all summer! (I sent him photos to show him later )
3. Through postcrossing I found a really nice and warm penpal in USA - I don’t know how it happened, it was just like that and I am grateful for this contact and friendship.

But there are more great experiences, e.g. the lady from Australia who sent 3 really, really beautiful unwritten maxi cards with a fourth written postcard in an envelope (although I did not ask for Maxi cards on my profile, but I really enjoyed them), the guy from USA who sent me 7-8 postcards in an envelope, each postcard answering one of the questions in my profile! What a “Wundertüte”! I guess, there are more and more of these stories, the longer I think about it!

[MostlyMess]

@reiselustig

(I sent him photos to show him later )

The sender I received the flower seeds from was a woman, so it seems that there are several “gardencrossers” out there. The more, the merrier
I’m glad to hear that your flowers grew, it means that seeds can survive being sent through the post in just a regular envelope.

[reiselustig]

It was no problem, took just a bit of patience - I am sure you will have a lot of joy in spring or summer!

[meiadeleite]

Oh, I love this topic! So many happy moments I could share. I’ve made many friends in different countries, hosted and shared meals with them, I’ve shared their grief and seen them grow, and held their babies in my arms… It has brought so much kindness and joy in these past 15 years.

And all because of this quiet boy, who wouldn’t stop nagging me about this idea of a website where people could send postcards to each other, and we’d receive postcards from EVERYWHERE, just you wait…

[GJG]

I am a newbie–so far many good experiences. Very memorable one: I sent a postcard to a person in Switzerland telling him how much I enjoyed visiting their Country and can’t wait to go back. He said when I make it back we could meet up in his town and have coffee. He is an older man that just seemed so sweet in his message. It is definitely on my “to-do” list.