When I was a foreign student in the United States, letters became my lifeline (although they were not new to me). I was born in an era without cell phones. Letters and phone calls were how we regularly kept in touch, and long-distance calls were expensive.
I have had my fair share of pen pals over the years.
There is nothing like receiving happy mail.
About nine years ago, I tried to bring letters back. Now, I find out I was ahead of the curve and probably should have stuck with it. Oh well.
I just started a new mail club, and let me tell you, it has taken a life of its own. But what exactly is a mail club?
First, let me answer what it is not. It is not a pen pal club. You don’t write the letters.
So what is it?
What is a mail club?
A mail club is most often a subscription-based service that sends physical mail to its members. Many of the mail clubs I have encountered began as a way for artists to share their art with a wider audience. Other popular mail clubs cater to people who enjoy junk journaling.
The Whimsy Letter Society is neither of those.
The Society was created to send actual letters. The premise is that the letters come from the residents of a very special - and tiny - village. Every month, a resident writes, and you get to read the letter.
The reality is that I write all the letters, but I get to have fun taking on different personalities.
I love every minute of the creative process. I have had fun researching historical facts, exploring characters, and thinking of trinkets to include in each mailing.
As a what do you receive each month?
In my experience, mail clubs vary quite a bit in price, from as low as $7 to close to $30. Some offer various tiers, with each tier priced differently and containing additional items.
The Society does not offer tiers. Each mailing offers an experience that cannot be parceled out. offers an experience which cannot be parceled out. It arrives as one complete package.
To keep the membership affordable, untracked shipping is included in the membership price.
Every Society letter contains recurring pieces, along with other items that change to suit each month’s character and story.
A letter from a resident of Sea Oak
A note from me (sharing a few personal details and untangling fact from fiction)
A postcard: It can be a recipe, a picture, or something else from Sea Oak
Sea Oak’s monthly calendar and notices
A coloring page
A belly band to wrap it all together
An envelope addressed by hand
Bits and bobs: These change every month and might include faux postage stamps, bookmarks, little cards, newspaper clippings, recipes, invitations, vintage-style ephemera, notes, tags, photographs, or whatever else seems to have found its way into the envelope from Sea Oak.
Why are people enjoying mail?
We live in a world of instant everything, and some of us feel that we may have lost some of the whimsy along the way.
Mail clubs offer people a way to be creative, receive something fun, and stop doomscrolling (for a while, at least).
Mail clubs help us hit pause, and give ourselves an opportunity to breathe and have fun.
Physical mail also offers something tangible. For some of us, it is remembrance - a reminder of another time now gone. For others, it is a new experience and a chance to take part in a tradition that has largely disappeared.
For all of us, it is a way to see that digital and analog can coexist.
Why did I create The Society?
Actually, that is a question I answered in full in a previous article, which, you can find here.
In short, it was a way for me to be creative and to serve those who resonate with what I have to offer.
Receiving mail that isn’t junk or another bill is special. A personal letter reminds us that another human being took the time to write and send something meant for us.
How can you join?
Membership in The Whimsy Letter Society membership will open on October 1st. The first letter will ship on November 2nd.
If you are interested in becoming a member of my mail club, you can join the waitlist here or come back and visit me here on Substack. The membership link will be posted on September 24th.
You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or the website.
I would love for you to become part of the Society. If you have any questions that I have yet to answer, please contact me here.
-Florence
FAQ
How often does the mail club ship?
Once per month, usually during the first week.
Is the mail club a subscription?
Yes.
Can I cancel my mail club membership at any time?
Of course!