Postcrossing Blog

Do you know your mail carrier? How old are they? We bet 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 guinness 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. 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.