Why I Love Postcrossing (and Why You Might Too)

by Trish Morgan

Pictured: My postcrossing postcard collection, stories and stamps from around the globe!

Why I Love Postcrossing (and Why You Might Too)

There's something quietly magical about opening your letterbox and finding a postcard inside. Not a bill. Not junk mail. A real postcard, handwritten by someone somewhere else in the world that somehow made its way all the way to you.

That little moment of surprise is exactly why I fell in love with postcrossing.

If you've never heard of postcrossing before, don't worry, I hadn't either once. Now it's one of my favourite small rituals, and honestly, one of the easiest ways to add a little unexpected joy to everyday life.

(And yes, it may also explain why I'm constantly collecting postcards.)

What is Postcrossing?

Postcrossing is both a website and a hobby. The idea is beautifully simple:

You request an address, send a postcard to a random person somewhere in the world, and once your postcard arrives and is registered, another postcard is sent to you by someone else.

You don't know who it will be from.
You don't know when it will arrive.
You just wait for the surprise.

That's it. A global postcard exchange powered by kindness, curiosity, and snail mail.
No algorithms. No pressure. Just postcards travelling across the world.
And honestly? I'm hooked.

Why I Love Postcrossing

I've always loved writing, but unlike traditional penpalling, postcrossing comes with zero pressure.
You send postcards when:

you have time
you feel like it
you're sitting with a coffee avoiding other responsibilities

No ongoing commitment. No guilt. Just small moments of connection.

Here's what keeps me coming back:

Making a tiny connection with someone on the other side of the world
Learning random things about places I may never visit
The surprise of never knowing when mail will arrive
Choosing the perfect card I think the recipient will love.
Writing something cheerful or interesting to brighten someone's day
Hunting for beautiful and unique postcards to add to my stash

It's a tiny creative ritual that fits into real life.

My Postcrossing Journey

I started postcrossing back in February 2014. For reasons I genuinely can't remember, I stopped around April 2016. I picked it up again last May (2025), and quickly remembered why I loved it so much.

Over the years I've sent and received postcards from Japan, Taiwan, Ukraine, the USA, South Africa, Singapore, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Finland, Czechia, China, Canada, Belgium, Belarus, Austria, Korea, Latvia, Italy, and Germany (lots to Germany, postcrossing is hugely popular there!). Most recently, I sent my first postcard to India.

Each card feels like a tiny glimpse into someone else's everyday life.

My Two Favourite Parts
I actually have two favourite parts of postcrossing - I couldn't choose one over the other!

Reading the messages
The first is reading what people write on the cards. I love hearing about their day, their job, their country, or a random fact they've decided to share. Some messages make me laugh, some make me add new places to my travel bucket list.

One postcard simply asked:

"Have you made your bed today?"

I laughed out loud. The answer was, of course, no.

The Sending Ritual
The second favourite part is the sending ritual itself. Sitting down with a coffee or a cold drink, reading someone's profile, choosing the perfect postcard just for them, and composing a message for a stranger is oddly calming.

It only takes a few minutes, but it feels meaningful.

The Joy of the Letterbox Surprise

Australia Post now delivers letters every other day, which has unexpectedly made postcrossing even more fun.
Although I'm often still greeted with an empty letterbox, sometimes I open it to find four or five waiting at once. It feels like winning a very niche lottery.

Some Memorable Postcards

I have too many favourites to mention but here are a few examples.

Pictured: Train Street Hanoi Vietnam postcard.

One arrived from Bogdan in Hanoi Vietnam showing "Train Street" where a train literally travels through a narrow street between people's homes. I had to Google it because I couldn't believe it was real, apparently it is!

Another came from Ted in Oklahoma, featuring a snowy forest scene photographed by Ted's wife in their own backyard. It looked like something from a postcard stand in a national park. What a view to wake up to every day.

At Christmas, I received a card from Mary in Minsk sharing this beautiful story:

"In the 1950s Christmas trees could be bought in several famous Saint Petersburg pastry shops, they stood in Gilded tubs decorated with Snow White sugar figures and chocolates made by the best confectionist. Nuts and cookies in the form of birds and angels were wrapped in gold and silver paper. Such Christmas trees were very expensive and not every resident of the city could buy them."

It completely fuelled my imagination.🩷

Pictured: Church postcard from Lother in Germany

And one postcard from Lother in Germany showed an ornate church interior. Nice enough… until I read that he was an organist who had actually played the grand organ pictured.

Suddenly the card wasn't just an image. It was a story.

Want to Start Postcrossing? Here's What I Actually Use

Pictured: Postcrossing essentials

The best part is you don't need much to begin. This is pretty much my usual setup when I sit down to write postcards:

A postcard you genuinely love → [Browse the postcard collection]
A good pen that doesn't smudge mid sentence
International stamps (bonus points if they're pretty)
A little washi tape for personality → [See washi tapes here]
A drink nearby because writing postcards somehow requires refreshments

That's it. No complicated supplies, just a few small things and a few quiet minutes.

A few helpful things to know

In Australia, an international postcard currently costs $3 to send using an international stamp. You can use domestic stamps, but you'll need to make up the correct postage value.

My pens of choice are a Hobonichi Jetstream 4 colour pen (0.5 nib) or Micron fineliners, both write beautifully on postcards, but you can use any pen you have as long as it doesn't smudge.

Once you sign up, you request your first address, write your postcard, include the card ID number, (I write it on twice just in case) and send it on its way.

When you receive a postcard, you register it online so the sender knows it arrived safely and it's always lovely to include a short thank you message.

The Unexpected Side Effect: Postcard Hunting

Pictured: My postcard stash

Since starting postcrossing, I now look for postcards everywhere I go.

Good quality postcards are becoming harder to find as sending snail mail declines, which makes discovering beautiful ones even more exciting. I love sending cards that represent Melbourne, Victoria, or Australia. They're incredibly popular internationally and give me something meaningful to write about.

I also collect art postcards from museums, galleries, gift shops, local artists, and even thrift shops. And yes.... when I added Kate Mason washi tape to the shop, I may have also added her postcards partly so I'd never run out myself.

No regrets