A New Calendar, a New Year, and Plenty of Reasons to Write

I did something recently that I always look forward to this time of year. I bought my new calendar.

For 2027, I decided on a Hobonichi Techo Weeks V&A Series Weekly Planner, a slim January-start calendar from Japan. The V&A Series is a collaboration with London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, which makes it especially appealing to someone like me who enjoys art, history, paper, and beautiful things.

The Hobonichi Weeks has a rather practical design. It’s narrow enough to carry around, with a weekly calendar on one side and space for notes on the other. There’s also room for monthly planning and additional notes in the back. The pages are made with Tomoe River paper, a favorite among many fountain pen enthusiasts because it’s thin, smooth, and generally handles fountain pen ink quite well. That certainly helped make my decision.

I’ve already started filling it in, even though we’re still in October. Some people might think that’s a little early, but I like having a good calendar and knowing what’s coming up. Besides, there’s something satisfying about opening a new planner and seeing all those empty pages. A whole year ahead, and not a single appointment crossed out or rescheduled. Yet, I also know myself well enough to admit that I’ll probably misplace this calendar several times during the coming year. I’ll put it somewhere perfectly logical, forget where that was, and spend more time than I’d like looking for it. But for now, it’s sitting on my desk, right where it belongs.

I suppose I’ve always been someone who appreciates paper. That shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me or has attended one of our Arizona Correspondence Society letter socials. I enjoy good stationery, interesting writing instruments, postcards, and, of course, letters. So naturally, when I began adding dates to my new calendar, I included the various holidays and observances that celebrate writing and the postal service. It turns out there are quite a few of them.

Some have been around for years, while others are fairly recent. Some are officially recognized, and others are celebrated by groups of people who simply enjoy the same things we do. I don’t particularly care whether someone has officially declared it a holiday. If it gives me a good reason to sit down and write a letter, I’m happy to put it on my calendar.

I thought I’d share some of these dates for 2027. Maybe you’ll want to add a few to your calendar, too.

Beginning the Year

January gets us off to a good start with Universal Letter Writing Week, January 10–16. I can’t think of a better way to begin a new year than by sending a few letters. Perhaps to someone you haven’t written to in a while, or someone you’ve been meaning to thank.

National Sticker Day is January 13, which might be just the excuse some of us need to use those stickers we’ve been saving. I have noticed that people who enjoy stationery often have a rather impressive collection of stickers, washi tape, and other decorative items. Sometimes I wonder whether we spend more time collecting these things than using them.

On January 23, we celebrate National Handwriting Day, chosen because it is John Hancock’s birthday. His signature on the Declaration of Independence is probably one of the most recognizable in American history. It’s a nice reminder that our handwriting is something personal. No two people write exactly alike, and I think that is part of what makes a handwritten letter so special.

February brings International Correspondence Writing Month, or InCoWriMo, when participants challenge themselves to write and mail something every day of the month. That’s 28 pieces of correspondence. I’ve always liked the idea, although I also know how quickly the days can get away from us. If you decide to participate, don’t make it complicated. A short note or postcard is perfectly acceptable.

February also includes Thank a Mail Carrier Day on February 4 and Send a Card to a Friend Day on February 7. Valentine’s Day, of course, falls on February 14. I rather like sending Valentine’s cards to friends. There’s no reason the day should be limited to romantic relationships.

March is a little quieter, but National Pencil Day on March 30 is worth mentioning. I still enjoy a good pencil. Not everything needs to be written with a fountain pen, although I admit that is usually my preference.

April is one of my favorite months because it is National Card and Letter Writing Month. An entire month devoted to something that most of us at ACS enjoy doing throughout the year.  I sometimes wonder how many people have never received a personal handwritten letter. Not a birthday card with just a signature, or a holiday greeting with a printed message, but an actual letter. Something written specifically for them.

We talk a great deal about the importance of staying connected, yet so much of our communication has become brief and disposable. Text messages are read and forgotten. Emails disappear into crowded inboxes. A letter, on the other hand, has a way of staying around. People tuck them into books, drawers, and boxes. Sometimes they’re kept for decades.

April is also National Poetry Month. If you’ve ever wanted to include a poem in a letter, this might be the time.

May offers National Postcard Week in early May and National Stationery Week, May 10–16. Postcards have always appealed to me. They don’t demand much from the writer, but they can mean a great deal to the person receiving them.  I enjoy sending postcards from places I’ve visited, but I also like cards that feature local history, unusual artwork, or simply something interesting. Living in Arizona, we certainly have no shortage of subjects for postcards. And really, who says you need to travel somewhere to send one?

As for National Stationery Week, I’m sure I can find a way to celebrate. I probably don’t need another notebook or package of paper, but that’s an entirely different discussion.

Pens, Typewriters, and the People Who Deliver Our Mail. National Pen Pal Day falls on June 1. This is a nice opportunity to recognize the friendships that develop through correspondence. Some people exchange letters for years without ever meeting. They learn about one another’s families, travels, daily routines, and interests, one letter at a time.  I find that remarkable, especially now, when we’re accustomed to knowing so much about people almost instantly through social media.

June also gives us National Typewriter Day on June 23. I have a soft spot for typewriters. They’re wonderful machines, and there’s something about the sound of typing on one that takes me back to another time. We have included vintage typewriters among the writing-related treasures at our Letter Socials for kids. I enjoy seeing people take an interest in them, particularly those who have never seen one, much less used one

On July 1, both National Postal Worker Day and National U.S. Postage Stamp Day are celebrated. I think we sometimes forget just how much work goes into getting a letter from one place to another. We put something in an envelope, attach a stamp, drop it into a mailbox, and expect it to arrive. Most of the time, it does. That’s quite an accomplishment when you stop to think about it.

And then there are the stamps themselves. I’ve always thought of postage stamps as tiny pieces of art. Some tell stories about our history, others feature people or places, and occasionally one comes along that is simply beautiful. I enjoy selecting stamps that seem appropriate for the person receiving my letter.

Stationery Store Day is August 7. I hope those of us who enjoy writing will continue to support independent stationery shops. These stores offer something that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. They allow us to see and feel paper, try writing instruments, and discover things we didn’t even know we were looking for. Sometimes it’s worth visiting just to browse.  Although I rarely leave empty-handed.

World Letter Writing Day is September 1. I like the idea of people around the world taking time to write letters on the same day. Different countries, languages, and cultures, but all participating in the same simple activity.  A handwritten letter is something of a record of a person’s life. We may not realize it when we’re writing about the weather, what we had for dinner, or something funny that happened during the week, but those ordinary details can become important later.

I think about the letters that have survived from previous generations. Many weren’t written with the intention of preserving history. They were simply people telling one another about their lives. Yet today, those letters give us a glimpse into a world that no longer exists.

October has several observances worth marking. World Postcard Day is October 1, and the entire month is recognized as National Stamp Collecting Month. Then comes World Post Day on October 9, commemorating the founding of the Universal Postal Union in 1874.

World Postcard Day has become a fun occasion for postcard enthusiasts. People send cards around the world, and special postcard designs are often created for the celebration. It’s another reminder that correspondence connects people who might otherwise never cross paths.

November brings National Authors’ Day on November 1 and Fountain Pen Day on November 5.  Now, Fountain Pen Day is one I certainly won’t forget to put on my calendar.

I enjoy fountain pens, and not just because they’re beautiful objects. I like the way they write, the many inks available, and the conversations they inspire among enthusiasts. If you’ve ever attended a fountain pen gathering, you know how quickly a conversation can begin over something as simple as a nib or an unusual ink color.  Of course, you don’t need a fountain pen to write a good letter. I’ve received wonderful letters written with ordinary ballpoint pens. The important thing is that someone took the time to write.

December gives us National Letter Writing Day on December 7, followed by Christmas Card Day on December 9, and National Thank You Note Day on December 26.

I’ve always appreciated receiving holiday cards, particularly those that include a personal message. I know how busy December can be, and I understand why printed cards and family newsletters have become popular. Still, it’s nice to open a card and find a few handwritten sentences.

National Thank You Note Day is a good reminder that gratitude doesn’t have to be reserved for gifts. Sometimes the most meaningful thank-you notes acknowledge something that might otherwise go unnoticed. A friend who checked in regularly, someone who offered help, or a person who simply made a difficult day easier.  Those are the kinds of things worth writing about.

And, of Course, Our ACS Letter Socials are held every month. One of the first things I marked in my 2027 calendar was our monthly Arizona Correspondence Society Zoom Letter Social.  We meet on the third Saturday of every month at 2:00 PM Mountain Standard Time (Arizona time), via Zoom.  I’ve always enjoyed these gatherings because they give us a reason to set aside time for writing. Some people work on letters, others write postcards or greeting cards, and do start every social talking about paper, pens, and postage.  That’s part of the enjoyment.

You don’t need special stationery or an expensive pen, and you certainly don’t have to be an experienced letter writer. Our letter socials are free and open to everyone who would like to participate.

Throughout the year, ACS also offers additional letter socials and special gatherings. Some are held in person, and others focus on particular aspects of writing and correspondence. You can always check the Arizona Correspondence Society events page for in0formation about upcoming events and any additions to our schedule.

So, What’s Going on Your Calendar?

I know that buying a calendar doesn’t guarantee that everything written in it will happen. I’ve had enough calendars over the years to know that plans change, appointments get moved, and sometimes good intentions remain just that.  Still, I like having a place to begin.  And I like the thought of looking back at the end of 2027 and seeing that, somewhere among all the ordinary things that filled the year, I made time to write letters.

I’m not planning to observe every one of these special days. That would probably turn something I enjoy into another obligation. But I do want to be more intentional about setting aside time for correspondence. A birthday card mailed on time, a postcard sent for no particular reason, or a letter to someone I haven’t heard from in a while.  Nothing particularly complicated.  If you enjoy using a paper calendar, perhaps you’ll mark a few of these dates, too. And if calendars aren’t your thing, maybe this list will simply remind you that there is always a reason to write.

By next summer, I’m sure I’ll have spent at least a few afternoons searching the house for that little calendar, convinced I’ve lost it for good. But hopefully, wherever it ends up, it will be filled with reminders of letters written, friends remembered, and time well spent.  Now I just need to make sure those letters actually get into the mail.

Here’s to a good year of writing in 2027. I hope to see some of you at our letter socials, and I hope your mailbox brings you something wonderful.

Renee Palting
Founder and Executive Director
Arizona Correspondence Society