I've been looking for data on the average number of personal letters people receive per year.

Latest was from 2021- that half of Americans haven't received a personal letter in the past five years, and 14% have never received one.

To qualify, mail must:

• Be physically addressed to me

• Contain handwriting from sender

• Be from someone I personally know (must have interacted with them in the past via online messages, in person etc.)

• Be postmarked or received during 2025

1. Monthly updates on total count received so far will be included.

2. Invitations count as long as there is some type of personalization included (if address was handwritten) and it wasn't a "mass mailing" situation.

3. Dentists/Doctors birthday/holiday cards do not count unless there is a handwritten aspect or a previously established personal relationship.

4. Physical gifts count if there is a note included in the package.

5. Businesses (such as relators) do not count

6. Holiday cards count if there is any type of personalization aside from my address and name.

7. Postcards with just a handwritten address count.

8. Cards from extended family members count.

Context:

I currently do not have any epistolary relationships with anyone. I send out about 1 - 10 personal cards/letters/postcards per year, along with about 50 holiday cards per year. But have recently moved to a new address, and sent cards this year, but hadn't done so in the previous three years. So many people do not have my address, unless they have kept my recently sent card.

Will I attempt to influence this market?

I do love sending mail, but will not make any pleads to receive mail, nor let anyone else know about this market. My intention is not to influence the market. However, since having quit social media, I do look for creative ways to engage with people who do not live near me.

Resolution: Final count of qualifying mail items received between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.

• Update 2025-12-20 (PST) (AI summary of creator comment): Creator will provide the final total count on January 1, 2026. No further monthly updates will be provided until then (contrary to the original description stating "Monthly updates on total count received so far will be included").

• Update 2025-12-20 (PST) (AI summary of creator comment): Christmas cards with only stick-on address labels and no handwritten content inside do not count toward the total, even if physically received. This reinforces that personalization beyond just the address is required for holiday cards to qualify.