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What to write 2 min read1 study cited

Open when letters: 30 ideas to write

Open-when letters are envelopes labelled for a moment: open when you miss me, open when you can't sleep, open when you got the job. They're perfect for long distance and cost almost nothing. Here are 30 to choose from.

By the dearyou team ·

A city at dusk seen through a window

Feelings

  • Open when you miss me
  • Open when you can't sleep
  • Open when you're stressed
  • Open when you feel like nobody gets you
  • Open when you need a laugh
  • Open when you're angry with me

Moments

  • Open on your birthday
  • Open on our anniversary
  • Open before your exam
  • Open after your first day at the new job
  • Open on a rainy day
  • Open on the first day of a trip

Just because

  • Open when you want to know how we started
  • Open when you're bored
  • Open when you need a reminder you're doing great
  • Open when you're craving Maggi at 3 am
  • Open when you want to plan our next date
  • Open when you need a hug

TipPut something small inside some of them: a photo, a tea bag, a playlist code. It makes opening them an event.

A dearyou templateLo-fi RoomA digital cousin of open-when letters: a cosy room where every object holds a memory to open.Play the demo free

What the research says

From the research
Long-distance couples in one study felt more intimate than couples living close by, partly because they disclosed more about themselves when they did talk.
[1] Jiang & Hancock, 2013Journal of Communication

Open-when letters are self-disclosure on a timer: honest words waiting for exactly the moment they're needed.

Questions people ask

What do you put in open when letters?+

A short note for the moment on the envelope, and sometimes a small extra: a photo, a tea bag, a song to play or a plan for your next date.

How many open when letters should I write?+

Anywhere from 6 to 30. Start with 10 covering the big feelings (miss me, sad, can't sleep, need a laugh) and add more over time.

Make it yours

A dearyou templateOur AlbumPlay the demo free, then fill it with your own photos, words and song.Play the demo free A dearyou templateOur PassportPlay the demo free, then fill it with your own photos, words and song.Play the demo free
#openwhenletters#longdistance#letters#DIY

Sources

  1. [1]Jiang, L. C. & Hancock, J. T. (2013). Absence makes the communication grow fonder: Geographic separation, interpersonal media, and intimacy in dating relationships. Journal of Communication, 63(3), 556–577. Read

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