In a poignant sign of our digital age, the Danish postal service will deliver its final letters at the end of December. Citing the "increasing digitalisation" of society, the service will shift its focus entirely to parcels, leaving the distributor DAO to handle any remaining letter traffic.
This historic endpoint prompted a profound question: if you had one last chance to send a letter, who would you write to and what would you say? We asked our readers, and the responses were a powerful testament to the enduring emotional power of pen, paper, and postage.
A Legacy of Love and Wisdom
For many, the final envelope would carry messages of love to the next generation. Philip, 66, from Reigate, Surrey, would write to his two-and-a-half-year-old grandson, Remy. A poet, Philip would include a specially written poem aiming to pass on a lifetime's acquired wisdom. "It boils down to the need for kindness and a faith that gentleness is a form of strength," he explained. The poem includes the tender lines: "And if you miss me when I'm gone/Imagine I'm a robin in a tree,/Just like the one you pointed at today."
Chris Clark, an 83-year-old retired professor from Arizona, USA, would address his last letter to his late wife, Tryn, who passed away in May 2022. Their four-year courtship in the 1960s was conducted through hundreds of letters while Chris served in the US Navy. His final postal letter would "close the loop" of their archived correspondence, weaving together declarations from their youthful love letters with reflections on their 55-year marriage, five children, and grandparenthood.
Lifelines and Lost Connections
The call also highlighted how letters have served as vital lifelines, especially for older generations. Annie, 68, retired and living in London, would write to her 90-year-old mother, Mary, in Ireland. Annie moved to London in 1975 when letters were the only affordable communication. She recalls her mother's weekly letters, a financial and emotional lifeline for the family of eight. Now in a care home, Mary may not always recognise the sender, but she still gets "a buzz" from receiving post.
In her drafted final letter, Annie thanks her mother for the "little blue envelope" that arrived each week, revealing a loving side her mother struggled to express in person. "Your letters filled me with happiness and love," she writes, "Mother, you gave me life and kept me safe."
The Intimate Art of the Pen Pal
For some, the loss marks the end of a cherished, long-form friendship. Francis O'Sullivan, a 30-year-old musician from Bolton, would write to his pen pal, Lucy, in the United States. They started writing as children after meeting in Southampton and have maintained the connection for nearly two decades, despite living in the UK, Canada, and the US. Francis's last letter would reflect on all the letters and postcards shared, expressing how much he'll miss "reading their words in their own handwriting."
The tradition is also beginning anew for some. Taylor, 35, an IT auditor in Texas, plans to start a vintage-style correspondence with his girlfriend, Dania, who lives in Mexico. He sees it as a "cute way to communicate" between monthly visits. His sample letter acknowledges how truly special she is, reflecting on their shared memories and future.
Others looked to gratitude and the posties themselves. Beth Wood, 64, a tutor from Buckinghamshire, would address her last letter to all postal workers: "Dear posties, Thank you for everything you have done for me during my lifetime." She thanks them for delivering joy, job offers, and dole cheques alike, braving all weathers and "risking dog bites and grumpiness."
The responses reveal a universal truth: in a world of instant digital messages, the physical, thoughtful act of letter writing carries a weight and permanence that is profoundly irreplaceable. As Dipak, a 66-year-old civil servant from London, succinctly put it: "Letter writing is so underrated."
