ABOUT POSTCROSSING ?

What to write in the postcard and how to sign it correctly?

Sending a blank card is rude and not fair to the postcrosser.

I don’t think you’d like the fact that you got a blank postcard.

unsigned postcard

So you have to be as imaginative as possible and satisfy your recipient.

What is Postcrossing? - My Guide

How To Fill Out A Postcard

The purpose of a postcard is to send news about your adventures, but it will never reach its destination if you don’t write down the address and seal it up with stamps!  It’s important that you follow these guidelines on writing a postcard:

1. Use a pen to fill in the sender’s address.

2. Write the recipient’s name and address on the postcard.

3. Write the address of the person who will be receiving the postcard, including their name, postal code and country.

4. Seal up your postcard with stamps, then drop it into a mailbox!

Below you will read more about this…

Best Way How To Write A Postcard

To sign a postcard, write your name on the front of the card. You can also include a short message or greeting. If you're sending the card to someone overseas, be sure to write the address in the correct format and use enough postage.

Signing a postcard is an important way to personalize the message and show the recipient that you have taken the time to send a thoughtful message. Here are some tips for signing your postcard correctly:

Use your full name: If you are writing to someone you don’t know well, it is best to sign your full name. If you are writing to a close friend or relative, you can use a familiar nickname or just your first name. Be sure to write legibly so that your message can be easily read.

Write legibly: Make sure your signature is easy to read. If you are writing by hand, consider printing your name rather than signing in cursive, especially if your handwriting is hard to read.

Sign below the message: Place your signature below the message, leaving enough space between the message and signature so that the recipient can easily read both.

Use the right pen: Choose a pen that writes clearly and will not smudge. A fine-point felt tip pen or a ballpoint pen is usually a good choice. Avoid using a fountain pen, as the ink may smudge during transit.

Finally, don’t forget to include your address and the date!

Consider adding a date: Adding the date to your postcard can help the recipient remember when they received it and make it a keepsake for years to come.

Glue Postcard Stamps

your postage stamps. glue stamps

But before you start decorating your postcard you should first glue the postage stamps on. Read in this article how many to glue and how much, I reviewed this in more detail.

dampen the postal stamp using a sponge

1) The first option is to dampen the postal stamp using a sponge. You may either use a tweezers to grasp the stamp and run it across a moistened sponge or use a light touch and glide the sponge over the back of the stamp. Make careful not to make the glue too wet, as it will slide around on the paper before sticking. When sealing, apply pressure along all corners and edges.

Pencil glue for gluing a postage stamp

2) You can also use a glue stick or a glue runner if the glue on the stamp’s back has lost its adhesion. This is more time-consuming, so make sure you’re using a long-lasting adhesive rather than a repositionable one.

moisten the stamp with saliva

3) The third option is to moisten the stamp with saliva. However, I do not recommend this because keep in mind that any postage stamp has glue on it, and any particles of glue may remain on your tongue. Once again, I do not suggest doing this, but I know individuals who have done it in this manner.

In a nutshell, the stamps should be glued in the upper right corner

Write the Recipient’s Address Correctly

Once you’ve glued the stamps on, move on to filling out the address.

Where to write the address on the postcard
Where to write the address on the postcard – envelope

Rewrite the address carefully, especially all the numbers. If you misspell the address, your card will never reach the recipient, so be careful.

If the address is written only on the postcard, it must be written strictly according to the scheme: Name, House Number and Street. There should be no abbreviations or words from other languages.

The order of writing elements may vary depending on the language used in a particular country, so check the rules for your country before you start writing. It’s better to ask a native speaker about how it should look like if there are doubts about correctness of one’s own handwriting.

In English-speaking countries , house number can be placed either just after street name or after all the elements separated with a hyphen.

Don’t make mistakes when you sign a postcard.

A quick note for those who want to know how to send a postcard via postcrossing

Write the recipient’s address in the appropriate place (bottom right). The address is usually written after you click “Send postcard”.

If you accidentally close the tab on your computer with the recipient’s address, don’t worry! Go to your email account and there you will find a duplicated email with all the data, address, postcard ID and description of the recipient profile.

Postcrossing is safe, so don’t worry about that.

What To Write In The Postcard?

Sending a postcard is a great way to send greetings and show someone you are thinking of them, whether you are on vacation or just want to send a quick note. Here are some tips for what to write in your postcard (I’m just sharing my experience):

  1. Greet the recipient: Start by addressing the person you are sending the postcard to. Use their name or a familiar nickname if you know them well. A simple “Dear Amanda”, “Hey Buddy”, “Hey Dude” can set a warm tone for the message.
  2. Write about your experiences: If you are on vacation, describe the sights, sounds, and experiences that have made the trip memorable for you. If you are writing from home, share news or interesting events that have happened recently (The sunsets in Bali are breathtaking, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink). If you’re penning a postcard from home, share interesting events or news that have occurred recently. It could be something as exciting as a new job or as simple as your garden blooming with colorful flowers.
  3. Personalize the message: Add a personal touch by including a special memory or inside joke. This will make the postcard more meaningful and memorable for the recipient. For example, you can tell about how you both got caught in the rain while hiking and had to hide under a small umbrella, laughing until your sides hurt. Or how, for example, I recently got really lost in the mountains with my wife. It wasn’t a very fun adventure, but thank God we found a path and followed it to the hiking trail. Such personal anecdotes or stories create a deep emotional connection and make the card more meaningful when filled out.
  4. Keep it brief: A postcard is a quick and simple way to communicate, so keep your message short and to the point. Aim for a few brief paragraphs or a list of highlights. Your goal is to captivate the recipient’s attention without overwhelming them with text.
  5. Use Descriptive Language: To make your postcard come alive, use descriptive language. Instead of saying, “I saw a beautiful sunset”, you can say, “I witnessed a breathtaking sunset that painted the sky in a symphony of warm hues”. This allows the recipient to visualize and feel what you experienced.
  6. Put a sticker on: I personally always put my country’s flag or slogan (Keep Calm and…). You can put whatever you want, especially personalized if you know the person you are sending to when you sign a postcard.
  7. Shipping date and weather: I always write the shipping date and sometimes even the time, as well as the weather. It’s always interesting to know what conditions the person was in and what they were going through when they signed the card.
  8. Signature, autograph: as many people, so many different handwritings and signatures. Some psychologists even manage to make a psychological characteristic of a person based on handwritings. I haven’t checked. What do you think?
  9. End with a closing: Conclude your message with a closing such as “Take care,” “Best wishes,” or “All the best”! Be sure to sign your name, either by hand or by typing it.

I would also like to add that a postcard is not just a piece of paper, but a container of your thoughts, feelings and emotions. By following the tips in this guide, you will be able to create cards that will touch the hearts of your recipients wherever they are in the world. So grab a pen, start filling out your postcard, and let your cards become treasured keepsakes for those you care about.

You might also benefit from my personal 25 tips on what to write in your postcard!

Show more creativity

Creative people show a maximum flight of fancy when they want to surprise the postcrosser.

Besides expanding their geographical knowledge and improving their English level (applies to people where English is not their primary language) postcrossers express themselves very creatively in signing cards.

Creatively in signing postcard. What to write in the postcard example
postcard from Nederland
postcard from Indonesia

People decorate postcards with interesting drawings, colored scotch tape and even decoupage. Look what postcard I received from Ukraine – Lviv

Postcard Signature Sample - Decoupage, Ukraine - Lviv

What should I write on my postcard to make another postcrosser happy?

People write different kinds of postcards, anything from their favorite national food recipe to their own or their favorite poem. Sometimes people are asked to recommend a favorite national movie or just write about their business or hobbies.

In the letter they usually write about happy events, for example a holiday or a birthday or they send greetings from relatives or friends. They also ask if everything is okay with the addressee of the letter and how he/she feels there.

In modern times people more often chat via phone, by means of a computer, SMS text messages etc., it is easier that way too. And then e-mails have come into fashion in these days of the Internet .

A lot has changed, but one thing remains important: you can always deliver your greetings faster with letters and postcards than any other way of communication! You get used to written letters very quickly after some time.

Untill some decades ago people often bought or had some postcards with pictures on them, where they could write something on the picture itself.

But today you can adapt yourself to any kind of old fashioned writing paper, drawing your own pictures on it, using the computer program Paint for instance, decorating it with stickers etc., and then putting that into an envelope.

Of course you want to send greetings in a way that will be welcomed by the addressee!

You don’t have to address his/her birthday too directly because maybe he/she is not allowed to receive mail at work but rather has chosen another day instead of his/her birthday for celebrating with family or friends.

Sending regards for this special holiday is enough anyway!

Very often people simply write about how they spent their weekend or what’s bothering them right now.

Sometimes you can get a postcard with very interesting holiday greetings or learn about a person’s new hobbies.

Try to read the person’s profile on the site carefully and fully match what the person wants to receive.

My main themes for postcards are theater, soccer, beer, landmarks, black and white, musical instruments, pin-up and others.

My main themes for postcards are usuallytheater, soccer, beer, landmarks, black and white, musical instruments, pin-up, travel or “presentation of a place”. I would describe my personal experiences that are related to the country, culture, religion. For example:

Do you know what kind of bread is called “panini”? I can recommend it to you as an Italian prize-winning food!

But the best thing about the postcard should be your own opinion about this place and some information about your life there. What will you write?

The first sentence must require reflection, whereas the second part invites the reader to take action through sharing useful tips or recommendations

So most often I get postcards with these illustrations and read similar stories on them.

from Spain
from Taiwan
from Germany
from Germany

Postcrossing for children

Please note that postcrossing is also very interesting for children. You will receive postcards signed by children or have to sign a postcard for a child. 

Sometimes it’s adorable when a 4 or 6-year-old child will sign a postcard for you. 

children writing postcards

In the process of this hobby, you are sure to get several of these postcards.

Do you have to include a return address on a postcard?

No, you don’t have to include a return address on a postcard. However, if you do include a return address, the post office will be able to return your card to you if it gets lost or damaged in transit.

Additionally, including a return address will allow the recipient to write back to you if they so choose. So while it’s not required, including a return address on your postcard can be beneficial.

Alex Polyakh - what is postcrossing

About The Author

I'm Alexander Polyakh, the founder and editor of The Bigger Lovers. I like to write various articles that help other people make their lives richer and brighter. I have a degree in business marketing, I've written over a hundred songs and I've spent the last 7 years getting to know people from all over the world and learning about other people's traditions. If you want to connect with me, check me out on Instagram or Facebook.

27 thoughts on “What to write in the postcard and how to sign it correctly?”

  1. Wonderful post you explain beautifully and in detail about what to write on postcard and how to sign it.you provide quality information with each and every detail with pictures with us.i really liked this post.

    Reply
  2. wow nice! i learned how to and what to write in postcard since ever i want to try writing letter on a postcard but i don’t know how to start, so thanks for this website i have an idea now.

    Reply
  3. I have been looking out about the format and the way in which to write a postcard. Due to its limitations it is very hard to write down a post card. But it is one of the best way you can express a lot without having written a lot. Thank you so much for putting up the much needed information. Writing post card is going to be easy and correct for me after having read your article.

    Reply
  4. Just what I was looking for! Honestly, is it just me or does anyone else lack ideas or get a total black out when it comes to doing something one actually planned to do such as writing a post card and I definitely find an article like this helpful to get the ideas back together.. Thank you!

    Reply
    • I am very pleased that you found our article useful for you. Now is the best time to sign postcards for people. Go for it!

      Reply
  5. Hey to give surprise to a postcrosser…many people will show their fancy clothes….according to me the post here best describes the things…postcard means anything that has card and not showing fanciness….with the view that some times my boy that’s is 5- years old sign a postcard to me which is very unusual…this post contains all the info that’s is very sufficient to someone …with the postcard post I am now very much suitable to know about postcrads..know I have the knowledge about postcards……

    Reply
  6. Wonderful ideas are giving to all people with more confident.procedures are very clear and formats are easy to understand. It will helful for youngsters and next generation will learn quick with this article.very excellent and appreciate to give more article useful for students and workers.thanks for this article

    Reply
  7. Although quite small, the space on the writable side of a postcard can often seem intimidating, and some people struggle with what to write there… there are many different ideas to fill your postcards:

    Reply
    • You’re absolutely right, there are always lots of ideas, the main thing is to buy a postcard and postage stamps and sign 🙂

      Reply
  8. Think it’s a wonderful opportunity to reach out to someone and try something different. Postcrossing is not something I’d considered before but would love to become involved and spread some joy in these difficult times. Look forward to reading the related posts!

    Reply
  9. I love this! As a postal worker myself there are so many letters that pass by us with not the correct information on them. Keep sending letters folks, the correct way ??

    Reply
    • When it comes to postcards, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure to include the recipient’s full mailing address on the postcard, including the city and state (or country). You’ll also want to include your return address on the postcard.

      When it comes to the content of the postcard, be sure to keep it brief. You’ll only have a limited amount of space to write your message, so it’s important to be concise. Make sure to write in a clear and easy-to-read font, and avoid using too many abbreviations or slang terms.

      Finally, when you’re finished writing your postcard, don’t forget to sign it!

      Reply
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