Sara’s Pick
Letter: Benjamin Hallowell to Samuel and Elizabeth Thomas, 1859
Today we celebrate National Send a Card to a Friend Day reminding us of the joy we feel when receiving a personal note, card, or letter in the mail.
There is something so touching about receiving something handwritten that someone obviously took time to create and send, especially in the midst of our technologically saturated world.
The collections are full of personal letters scripted with care and sent throughout Sandy Spring, and beyond, providing updates and news on a wide range of topics.
I invite you to take a look at a letter from Benjamin Hallowell to his “…dear friends,” Samuel and Elizabeth Thomas. Written with sincerity and thoughtfulness, this letter expresses kind thanks for a gift recently received. Not only did he thank his friends for their kindness, but he also included a poem at the end of the letter.
Throughout these collections, you will find many letters and notes similar to the one above. After reading a few, perhaps you will be inspired to write your own note to someone you are thinking of, as they might appreciate the effort, especially now in our current isolated environment!
Patricia’s Pick
Letter: to Sarah Littler, Undated
Would you believe National Send a Card to a Friend Day traces its origins to the development of greeting cards centuries ago? While this timeline begins in the 15th century with Europeans, there is evidence that sending cards to friends finds its way farther back in history to the ancient Egyptians.
Searching through the Sandy Spring Archives, one can find many examples of letters, poems, and cards crossing post offices both here and abroad. The letter I chose to share today exhibits the importance of communication between friends, as well as the possible consequences of the lack thereof.
The writer, A. C., explains to her friend, Sarah Littler, how a recently received letter cleared up any thoughts of betrayal. She writes, “[I]t is very well…thee thought it worthwhile to write…or I should have been almost hurt…to think thee would stay in B-(Baltimore) in preference to our town perhaps I should have concluded thee did not love us sufficiently to spend so long a time with us…”
Communication between friends and family ensures that ties that bind will not break. Send a card to a friend on this National Send a Card to a Friend Day!