The Postcrossing - How to Send Postcards

The Postcrossing.com is the site for exchanging postcards. In this article you will learn how to send postcards and receive them from all the world. If you are postcards collector or you just like sending and receiving postcards, this site is for you. I would like to explain my first experiences with exchanging postcards, how to register and first steps in system of Postcrossing. You will know how does it work, how to register, fill your profile, write and send your first postcard.

In advance I would like to start with my first touch with postcards. It was in later 80s and at the beginning of 90s. I was a child and for everyone in our family was common, that we sent postcards from vacation or by reason of some holidays, especially Easter and Christmas. I always enjoyed, when we got a postcard to our postbox. For some people postcards were just colorful pieces of paper, but for me (and I suppose for you too) they have meant much more. They are messages, which make smile on my face and sweet feelings, that someone and somewhere thought of me and lived nice moments. By the time I grew up and popularity of postcards decreased. It was because of internet and mobile phones. It is much easier and convenient to send emails, sms and current it is usual to communicate via webcams. But even though mentioned technological news, I think the magic of postcards never disappear. I have started to seek sites about exchanging postcards and I have found one. It is large community on the site Postcrossing.com and it is support my opinion, that sending postcards never die.

The story began in Portugal. In the year 2004, student Paulo Magalhães have decided use power of internet to join people around the world and make the system of exchanging addresses for sending postcards. Idea is very easy: „Send a postcard and receive a postcard back from a random person somewhere in the world!“ The main goal is connect people across the world through postcards, independent of their location, age, gender, race or beliefs. It is big opportunity to explore new cultures, countries and people around the world. You can expand your horizon about local customs or interesting places.

Do you have questions, how does whole system of postcrossing work? If yes, I will explain it too. You will get the address and you will send a postcard. When another user will receive your postcard and register it in the system (according to ID number), this is a trigger, which allows you to receive a postcard. If some another user request the address to send a postcard, you will be in the line, the user will get your address and you will receive a postcard – it is never ending round. And important is that all system is free.

Over 300,000 registered users

More than 10,000,000 postcards had been sent

Most active users has sent about 7,000 postcards

All postcards traveled about 60 billion km (for imaging it is 200 return trips to the sun)

Most users are from United States of America – maybe it is opportunity to support your country and be first ;)

If you are interesting in sending postcards just register and you can start spread smiles thought postcards. It is quite simple:

1. Just click on this link Register
2. Fill your approximate location, username, email and password
3. Write your full address (according Postcrossing Privacy Policy, they do not disclose addresses to third parties)
4. Click on button Sign me up!
5. Then check your emails, confirm a registration email and you are done

Info in your profile is optionally. Write what you think that is important for a sender of postcard. You can introduce yourself - age, job, hobbies and interests. You may write what kind of postcard you will prefer – singleviews, multiviews, historical, handmade cards or you prefer some specific themes as animals, churches, panoramas, flowers, retro, funny cards and so on.

Are you seeking ideas what topics to write on your postcard? You can note down some facts about you, your country, customs, or just write your favorite book, quote etc. I have written detailed article about ideas to write on the postcard. If you want to know more, you can check it my hub How to Write a Postcard, for writing ideas.

If you are already registered and you have filled your profile, hereunder you can find simple steps for understanding all process:

1. Click on the left menu – Send a postcard, system automatically gives you the address

2. Buy, write and send a postcard to user according to address

3. Wait, wait, wait

4. And HURRAY, you will receive a postcard from another user. It is randomly, so this is best part of Postcrossing, postcards can come from somewhere in the world and you do not know it before

5. Register received postcard to the system – you will see on postcard ID number

Maybe come to your mind, whether is safe to give address to the Postcrossing system. Everything is secure – your address is shown only when one of the member ask to send a postcard. Nobody can search your address on the site. So nobody other can see your postbox.

The registration and using the system is absolutely free. Anyone with an address may create profile and be the postcrosser. The author of project guarantees that Postcrossing will be still free thank to team of volunteers, who help run website and forum. And everybody may support the project by donation via PayPal. You can have costs only for postcards (you have to buy them) and postage fees for sending postcards, which is different for every country. So whole system is free and thanks to author, Postcrossing will be free still.

If you are creative person, you can make your own postcards. Site Moo.com allows you full color postcards with smart gloss laminate according to your artwork and photography. It is an unique opportunity to express yourself, respectively your creativity.

Here is direct link to Moo postcards.

Enjoy it!

If you are new in Postcrossing and you want to know more, check my other article and learn about this interesting hobby. Join the postcards crossing project and send a postcard and receive a postcard back from a random person somewhere in the world!

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Other swap sites, which may be interesting for you

BookCrossing.com – The project about exchanging books. You will find books, share books, and meet fellow book lovers.

Toyvoyagers.com – Did you know that toys can travel? It is possible. On this site you can find how to send your small toys to the big world. And then you will enjoy a lot of photos from holidays.

Eurobilltracker.eu – Are you interesting about euro banknotes? On this site you can follow your euro notes in their tracks.

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If you like my article The Postcrossing - How to Send Postcards, please share, rate or comment it. If you have some ideas to improve my hub, please feel free to contact me. I hope you will be inspired and I wish you a lot of beautiful and interesting postcards.