You might have noticed we are already in countdown mode for the postcard number 4 million in Postcrossing. That's right, 4,000,000 postcards! Can you believe it?! (we're still having some trouble wrapping our heads around that number ourselves...)

For those of you who've joined Postcrossing recently, you might want to know that Postcrossing reached the first million of received postcards in April 2008 - that was only 3 years after its very start. That date made us immensely proud of Postcrossing and of all our members. What we didn't know back then was that it was only the beginning!

In February 2009 - less than a year later - we reached the 2 million and by September we were already celebrating the 3rd. And now, 6 months later, we are preparing for the postcard 4 million!

We like to celebrate these milestones with all Postcrossers and so, continuing in what has become a Postcrossing tradition, ladies and gentlemen, we're pleased to announce the forth edition of the "Guess the Countries" contest!

All you need to do is to leave a comment on this post with your guess about which country the postcard 4 million will be sent from, and where it will go to (example: From Tanzania to Iceland). It's really simple! The first to guess it correctly will be declared the winner, but only one guess per person is allowed! We will announce the details of the lucky postcard when it gets registered.

But... if there are winners, there must be prizes, right? I'm glad you asked, because there are awesome prizes for both the correct guesser and the sender and receiver of the lucky postcards!

Our friends at MOO (makers of all things printed and pretty) have agreed to partner with Postcrossing and offer 3 packs of 60 postcards for the winners!! How great is that?

With MOO, every single postcard you print can be different, and have your own pictures in it. If you're not a keen photographer, don't worry! They have an incredible selection of ready-made packs that you can choose from.

Also, until April 15th, MOO is offering all postcrossers a 15% discount on the purchase of any pack of postcards (20 or 60), with the code POSTCROSSING15. Aren't they sweet?

So, take a guess in the comments, and write/register lots of postcards. Let's get the party started! :)

(top image by leo reynolds, flickr)

At Postcrossing HQ we are always looking for ways to do good through postcards. Today we are happy to share with you a simple but very powerful way to ignite big smiles.

Hearts in Unity is an organization working towards improving the life of orphan and at-risk children in Tanzania. Through several projects, they aim to feed, clothe and give access to education to Tanzanian children as well as tell the world more about this African country, one of the worlds' poorest with over 2 million orphans.

One of Hearts in Unity projects is Messages from the Heart which consists in bringing heart-felt messages of greetings, friendship and encouragement to Tanzanian children. And what better medium for that than a postcard?

The Hearts in Unity representatives in Tanzania hand-delivers those messages to those who need them most, many in remote villages where there isn't even postal delivery services. This is the only way for some of those children to have contact with postcards and receive greetings from somewhere else in the world.

We believe this is a great match for Postcrossers, who understand what a postcard can do to lift our spirits and bring some encouragement.

If you wish to participate in this cause, this is the address where you can send postcards to:

Hearts in Unity
P.O. Box 6497
Moshi, Kilimanjaro
TANZANIA

For sending anything other than postcards such as parcels, donations or enquiries, please use this address instead:

Hearts in Unity
“Messages from the Heart”  
P.O. Box 41
Germantown, WI  53022
USA

You can use this address as well if you are in U.S.A. and wish to save some postage. The correspondence will be forwarded to Hearts Tanzanian representatives as well.

If you need ideas about what to write, or even how to write a message in Swahili, check Messages from the heart project page.

Please note, that Tanzanian children don't have a way to send postcards back - an international stamp can cost more than half of a family's average daily wage in Tanzania. However, Hearts in Unity also has a penpal project. In fact, they have many other projects, so be sure to check their website: http://www.heartsinunity.org/.

Valerie from Paris (but currently in New Zealand) learned about Postcrossing from a penpal site. She is 24 and enjoys riding horses and photography.

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

I had been penpalling for a long time and heard about postcrossing on a penpal site. I was moving out of my parents' place in only a couple of weeks and I thought it was a good idea to get some nice mail in my own new private mailbox. Since then, thousands of postcards and many good friends later, I'm totally addicted. :D

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

Travelling, taking pictures, horse riding (all 3 at the same time is the best)!

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

My mailbox is old and ugly; that's why I need colorful and nice postcards to fill it! My postoffice is not really any better, but I get to post my mail in the bright yellow boxes! I've never seen my post(wo)men, so sorry no pictures. I'm not home during the time the mail is delivered. I keep all of my regular size postcards in albums and all oversizes in a big box not counting the ones that are on my walls. I have no idea how many I have.

Show & tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

It's hard to choose one card and usually what makes me like a card is more the message on the back than the picture in front! But I do have one that I find special -- one of my first official received from Finland. I've said in my profile that I like handmade cards and this girl (14 y/o at the time) sent me a lovely watercolor card she did from the "fox lake" that is near her place. All cards received from my forum friends are so special to me too!

Do you know your postman? How old is he/she? We bet is not as old as Ted Ingram. Ted is 90 years old but he still delivers newspapers in Dorset, United Kingdom.

Ted has his job since since 1942 (imagine that!) and has delivered over 500,000 newspapers! That's nearly 7 decades - we wonder how many people can claim to have hold any job so long!

The guiness book of records is now considering him as the oldest paperboy, but Ted says "I hope I can carry on the round when I'm 100, I have no plans to give it up".

Heidrun, 49 y.o., coming from icy Iceland. She's a warm person that enjoys planting trees as a hobby, doing deco books and of course, sending cards! Her 9 y.o. son is already a devoted Postcrosser too.

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

I found a link that was in the homepage of the Icelandic Mail Service. I believe it is not there anymore. I had collected postcards for years (written and stamped) so this was just what I wanted. A wish come true!

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

My other hobby is planting trees, we have some land where we can plant and grow them. Trees grows slowly here - but we don´t give up. And I also do decos (small books where you put a picture and it travels between people. Everyone does one page and finally it goes back home.That's in Yahoo Groups (for example: Old_decos_and_homers). It is related to scrapping.

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

Hedrunhlin's shy mailman and one of the mailboxes:

Show & tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

My very first Postcrossing postcard was a special one. Sent from France by a Finnish Postcrosser, from a place where I had been years before. But every card I get is a special one and I feel the kindness when people choose something I will like. My son is also a Postcrosser (Hemmi) and people have sent him such nice cards too. Happiness is getting a postcard from a stranger wishing you all the very best.

(On our way to plant trees)

Hello friendly postcrossers!

We're really excited to introduce you to some cute additions to the Postcrossing "family". Meet postman Paulo and postwoman Ana:

Like us, they love to travel, and so we've given them a mission: to go around the world, visiting as many postcrossers as they can! They are going to hop from mailbox to mailbox, see different towns and cities and try to attend Postcrossing meetups now and then. And of course, they'll share their experiences at the end of each visit, with pictures! :)

They're especially curious about post boxes, and would like to know what they look like in all the different countries out there. Here they are, perched on a Slovenian pillar box:

They're already on their way to their next destination, but if you'd like to host them, leave a comment below and we'll get back to you in due time. Let us know why you think they'd like to visit your town! :)

PS - If you'd like a set for yourself (or to offer a child that loves Postcrossing!), you can get them at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. They come with a cute post box, a mail delivery cart, a bike and plenty of mail! :)

Ever wondered which of the postcards you sent are the most favourited? Or which type of postcards are the most loved? Now you can!

In your Postcard wall there is now a new Popular section with the postcards that you sent that were most favourited. The list is ordered from the most popular to the one that received less favourites.

We know this was on the wish-list of many Postcrossers so we are very happy to release this new feature. As always, your feedback is welcome!

Raymond "Skip" Empey or Papa Skip is 69 y.o. and lives in Massachusetts, U.S.A.. His passion for lighthouse postcards led him to Google "postcards". Check what happened next...

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

I have collected lighthouse postcards for years, I actually have thousands of them from 1900 through today. Always looking for a new source I Googled "postcards". Needless to say Postcrossing was one of the items that came up. "Well this looks interesting", I think that's what a mouse says before he sticks his head in the trap. I remember starting with 5 cards and I very quickly got addicted. I have met many wonderful people. Some like a card and say thank you others write a comment or more. Some make an effort to find a card that you have mentioned in your profile and or put special postage stamps on the card. Everyone is different but by in large I have found 99.9% of the members are really very nice. I always write a small paragraph when I register a card and ask for a address so I can send a thank you card. It's something I can afford to do but not something I expect anyone else to feel they have to.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

My biggest hobby is lighthouses, along with postcards, I also collect stamps, postmarks, books and photographs on the subject. My wife and I have visited all the accessible Lighthouses in North America and many hundreds around the world. During the Summer months I am a volunteer at Boston Light (1716) for the National Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard. I also narrate harbor cruises for a Boston Cruise Company where I tell the history of the city, harbor and islands. I also narrate lighthouse cruises along the Massachusetts coast, four north of Boston and two south of Boston each Summer.

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

Picking up my mail.

Entering new cards into my computer.

Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

I have because of Postcrossing hundreds of favorite postcards. When someone lives away from the sea and makes an effort to find a card picturing a lighthouse that's a favorite. When someone includes some interesting comments that's a favorite. Each day when I go to my mailbox and there is a card or cards they become my favorite. I have lived a very blessed life with a wonderful family and friends but because of Postcrossing the blessings continue to come as I am constantly gaining and developing new friendships.

Jocelyn, 39, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. For her, Postcrossing is a full time job. It must be, she receives an average of 5 to 20 cards a day. Learn more about Joce and her activities in Postcrossing.

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

Over three years ago, I was a big part of Flickr's The Biggest Group thread. We had a sub-thread called TBG-Traveling Postcards. I immediately loved the idea of sending and receiving postcards within the USA and throughout the world! I found Postcrossing through a flickr friend in The Netherlands (who is not on Postcrossing anymore) and I was immediately hooked - sending and receiving officials and participating in the forum. Wow! What a concept! I was amazed at how friendly everyone was! I would have never thought that so many people could be just as addicted as I am! I currently host the two largest round robins: Color RR and Photo RR.
I have met so many people through Postcrossing. It's amazing how many friendships have developed over the past few years. I am very grateful to be a member of this wonderful site.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

Aside from postcard collecting, I love to cruise! I have been on over 26 cruises that have sailed all throughout the Caribbean. What an excuse to cruise too - oops, I am out of postcards, I must cruise again to replenish my stock so I can trade! I live in the desert so I can't get enough of the ocean. Photography is also a great love of mine. It's interesting capturing unique photos of people, places and things. Postcrossing is a full time job (but a fun one!) so I don't want to have any other hobbies!

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

Here is a photo of my mailbox where I run home to check everyday (except Sunday). Sometimes the box is full - I receive, on average, 5 to 20 postcards per day! I used to have a wonderful system to store my postcards (in photo boxes, alphabetically by country) but since I started scanning them and uploading to flickr, my system turned into a mess. A neat mess though! I have many bins of postcards that have been scanned, bins that are ready to scan and bins of cards available to trade. No matter how they are stored at the moment, I love each and every postcard I receive!

And here is a part of my postcard collection:

Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

I absolutely love this postcard. It's a simple wish for my birthday when I turned 39 in November 2008. The little girl on the card is blonde and just so beautiful. The girl reminds me of me, when I was young; so sweet, innocent and happy! The colors on the postcard are vibrant and bright and every time I look at the postcard it makes me smile. It was written and stamped from Thaddee Calisson, Paris, France.

Every now and then we stumble on little gems on Youtube that are somewhat related to postcards - some of them are so weird and funny we cannot resist sharing them with you!

Meet Claes Eriksson, Swedish actor and composer, who did this cute little sketch:

We don't quite know what to think about it, but the tune is quite catchy! :)