These Gorgeous Vintage Envelopes Show How Mail Really Used to Be an Art Form.

Writing a letter to a loved one used to be a long, heartfelt process. Now, it has devolved to the point where we can spend less than a second sending a text message to get the job done. I think we can all agree this certainly lacks a lot of charm. Even if you include some emoji, it’s not quite the same as tearing open an envelope and seeing the character in another person’s handwriting.

French author Pierre-Stéphane Proust shines a light on this current shortcoming in communication by showcasing how delightful correspondence was back in the day. Before the letter was even opened, these French pen pals made sure to put a smile on their friend’s face.

(via Messy Nessy Chic.)

I would love to see something like this in my mailbox. Maybe my cable company can pick up this trend.