Postcards from Afar

ChrisR

ChrisR

I'm a well known grump...
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Chris
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I'm part of a fun postcard exchange that started, I think, from Twitter and now from Mastodon and Bluesky... but neither are necessary to take part. I probably should have posted this in the Printing forum, but most of the participants are film photographers, so I thought I'd try here and see if anyone else is interested. You sign up via Elfster (which some may know for the Secret Santa exchanges), then each month you are asked if you'd like to participate. Then around the middle of the month names are drawn; you get someone to post your postcard to, and someone else gets your name to post to you. That's it, send one, get one (assuming no system fails, eg post). No long term commitment, just the one month, but you'll get a new invitation next month.

Postage costs for postcards from the UK to anywhere overseas were £2.20 up until today; I don't know how much they've gone up, but it's not a lot. I did receive one card sent via an internet-based service; it was nicely done, and I sent one myself that way next month, but in the end I prefer printing one myself. Some people send their cards in envelopes, but I prefer to just print mine on 6x4 or 7x5 photo-paper, heaviest I've got (300 gsm+), write a message and address on the back, and post it naked. Seem to have survived so far, although I haven't had a thanks message from my last card (sent to Australia).

I'm building up a nice little collection of cards; it's fun! It's nice choosing an image for that particular recipient too (though you don't know much about them other than their address, and any internet-based snooping you can manage!).

I think the invitation is here: https://www.elfster.com/gift-exchanges/c88cefae-2c7f-4818-ae2a-b6f91365b02c/?join=yzg4
 
FishyFish said:
I went to look at this and seem to have accidentally signed myself up! Do you have any recommendations for internet-based services that will just send a single card to the recipient @ChrisR ? Thanks.
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Excellent! I used Mypostcard.com, which is the one used by the person who sent me the January postcard, IIRC. I think I paid $3.97. The quality of the one I received was good, better (more sturdy) than one I could print myself, and had the advantage that the recipient had a better chance of being able to read the message!
 
March was a bit of a bust for me, sent one to my Australian nominee, but it didn't arrive, so I sent a follow-up via the Postacrds.com site, and not heard back about that, either (quite important to send a thank you, via the Elfster site, I think). I didn't receive a card myself, first time this has happened, although it's possible it's back home waiting for me right now. I don't mind though (not really...), knowing the frailty of the world postal system, and indeed people's memories. I'll keep doing it though, it's really surprising the different things I've received. I also like choosing and printing the card, though not writing it (writing is physically hard, but I hope worth it). International postcard postage has gone up to £2.50 from £2.20, which is a bummer, but it's still a nice thing to do.

The next round will open in a week or so, any more takers?
 
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