If you are looking for creative gift ideas or want to give someone some attention, Open when letters are a wonderful way to surprise someone. The gift will be properly appreciated, especially if you live far away from each other or simply don't have much time for each other. Because every letter is a little reminder that there is someone who loves you.
What are Open when letters?
Open when letters are about writing as many small letters as you want for your loved one. These may only be opened if the situation stated on the envelope occurs to the recipient. This personally designed gift brings a lot of joy, especially in difficult times, but also when you just can't be there.
“Open me if” letters can be given to your best friend, for your mom’s birthdaySisteror your dad, but also for an anniversary with your partner or as a romantic surprise for Valentine's Day. It's about giving your loved ones attention, but it doesn't cost much.
Small gifts, messages, pictures and gifts can be added to the envelopes. The exact number of letters can be chosen individually, but it would be nice if the recipient received at least 10. Finally, the whole thing is beautifully packaged or given away in a gift box. We'll soon reveal how you can do all of this yourself, as well as creative design ideas and craft tips.
So you can make the original gift yourself
Depending on the person for whom the letters are intended, there are different ways to create a nice surprise. For your partner you can of course formulate it as a love letter: “10 (0) reasons why I love you” or “The best moments in the relationship”. You can include funny things for friends and family, as well as nice pictures that remind you of the good times you had together or future projects and trips together.
The design of the envelopes is particularly important. You can design them all very differently or simply label them in an original way. What is written on the envelope can be written in English or German: “Open when…” or “Open me when…”. Add a short description of the situation. There are plenty of beautiful envelopes available in hobby shops and online, or you can make some yourself. We'll also show you how to do it. There are no single instructions or exact procedure for this, but you have a lot of creative freedom and can design the gift completely individually. However, you can collect nice examples and some inspiration from our ideas.
How many letters?
But what can you write in so many letters? Here you should let your creativity run wild and think briefly about the situation in which you need to hear something positive. Then all you need is a nice piece of stationery to make the whole thing look beautiful and really personalized. Of course, you choose the exact number of letters yourself. However, try to think of as many of them as possible. This means the recipient can enjoy it for longer.
The design of the first and last letter
The first and last letters should be separated from the rest, e.g.: “Open when... you have received my gift” or simply “Read first”. In the first you write an explanation of how the person should proceed and why you chose Open when letters. You can also write down a few rules:
- Only open if the title is correct.
- It is permitted to open a maximum of two letters per week.
- No looking at the letters.
In the last letter it is always nice to write a real letter. One page is usually enough, but it can be longer. In it you can write down a small congratulation for reading all the letters and once again remind the person how much you love him.
What do you write in the Open when letters? Ideas
Here are a few ideas for what you can write and fill in the rest of the letters:
Open letter if...
- you are lonely or sad –a text with kind words or sayings to encourage you, a chocolate praline
- you are happy –Confetti and a piece of paper so that the recipient can briefly describe what made them happy
- you feel sick –Tea bags from your favorite tea, Tic Tacs as a substitute for medication
- you miss me –small picture together and a nice letter on the back
- you are bored –Paper puzzle, Sudoku,
- you miss summer –Solarium voucher
- you need money –a banknote
- hurts you– a plaster
- you feel old– Packet of anti-wrinkle mask
- you feel alone– inflatable pillow
- you want to be against being a child –small piece of bubble wrap
- it’s your birthday –Birthday card
- you forgot when our anniversary is –shared photo with the exact date on the back
- you are tired –Packet of instant coffee or guarana powder
Open letter if...
- you are cold –Hand warmer
- you are hungry– Bag of soup, a bag of chips or a voucher for the supermarket next door
- you have your period– Tampon, chocolate
- you have a date –Love poem
- it is raining –Craft instructions
- you have love/sorrow –Insert your own cell phone number
- you are forgetful –Sticky notes
- you want to travel –a travel guide
- you go to a party –Miniature bottles
- you are frustrated –Mandala to color
- you're mad at me -kind words, that despite your complicated character you still love the other person
- Easter/Christmas etc. is– Easter egg/snowball fight/small gift
- you are in a bad mood –CD with favorite music
Make your own envelopes
Of course, you can always buy envelopes, but to show attention to detail and care for your loved one, it's worth investing some time and effort into the project and making the envelopes yourself. This works very easily if you have a template. The size of the envelope should be matched to the size of the cards or letters. Various small things such as chocolates or small gifts should also fit in there.
Envelope template
Ready-made stencils are a popular item that make folding envelopes much easier. Plastic ones that can be used several times are available from office supplies for just a few euros. Depending on the size you want, you can find a suitable template online, print it out and transfer it to a sturdy cardboard. So you have created a template yourself. You can then use the template to make as many envelopes as you like and package the lovely letters beautifully.
Different papers can be used for the envelopes. Packaging and wrapping paper, as well as craft cardboard and colored paper work wonderfully. You can fold these in very imaginative ways. Here is our suggestion in vintage style.
Fold the envelope
In the example, old, yellowish book pages were used instead of wrapping paper. To get the envelope to the desired size, use a card as a model. A ruler helps fold the paper as precisely as possible.
It's best to plan everything carefully in advance and write down how many letters should be written. Then you have to get everything useful - paper for the letters and for the envelopes. Stickers, self-adhesive decorative elements, capsules and everything else that goes with the decoration should be purchased before you start crafting.
Instead of envelopes, you can make small gift boxes and fill them as you wish. All letters should not look the same. Depending on the situation, letters and small packages can be combined as desired. Be creative and make your personal gift as original and unique as possible.
It is sometimes difficult to find the right gift for your loved ones. The Open when letters are always a good idea to do casually. Expressed wishes and small things that you happened to share come as a real enrichment in hard times. In addition, with a homemade gift you show how much you care for the recipient.
Tips on order and time span
The individual open-when situations do not have to follow a specific order. It is important to note a period of time in which the recipient should open all letters. It is best to design the letters so that the recipient can choose which letter to read in which situation. Even if the plans fail, love and attention have been put into the contents of the letters, which are usually worth more than any other valuable item.
Wrap the DIY gift
Any number of letters can be easily tied with a beautiful ribbon or string and given as an atmospheric gift. Simply stack the individual envelopes on top of each other and tie the stack tightly with string. Otherwise, get a proper gift box and a nice bow or satin ribbon to make the gift a real surprise. This means the recipient will never be able to guess what's inside.
A great parting gift
The idea can also be used as a farewell gift or if you are in a long-distance relationship and need a sign that there is someone who is thinking about you and loves you. For example, if your best friend is traveling abroad for a long period of time, you can consider a gift like this. In this case, you can adjust the number of letters to the relevant period. The letters and small gifts can be adapted to any context and of course to the person.
Open when Valentine's Day letters
The idea for Open When Letters is, above all, a beautiful memory that lasts in time. You won't forget the funny stories and kind words when they're all in a gift box. Even after many years you will open them and remember the good times. For couples, these letters are perfect as a Valentine's Day gift. You can then write a declaration of love in the first letter and design the remaining letters as proof of love. Fill the letters with personal gifts and beautiful souvenir photos that will put a smile on your loved one's face.
More themes and ideas for design
Here we reveal a few tips and tricks on how you can design your Open when letters creatively. By and large, the design of the letters and envelopes depends on the theme. Colorful decorations and elements are suitable for best friends, although decorations with hearts and kisses go well with your loved one. Depending on whether you prefer things neat and chic or unusual, the envelopes can also be decorated. If you have made or bought plain colored envelopes, you have more leeway when it comes to labeling. This is where labels come in really handy.
Self-adhesive labels can be found at office supplies or you can find a nice model online and print it out. Black and white labels have a chic vintage effect and go wonderfully with simple envelopes, especially this one made of kraft paper. With labels, the whole gift looks much more elegant and neat. In addition, all envelopes can be designed the same way. However, if you would like to make the Open when letters more personal, we recommend that you label the envelopes yourself. The handwriting always seems personal and speaks of the time you took for it. For writing, you can use colored pencils and choose a different color for each letter. The possibilities for designing the envelopes are diverse and you have a lot of leeway.
If you have decided on the regular version, you can make your own labels using the Miotive punch. Depending on the size and design, its price starts at around 10 euros. This means you can write all the labels on your PC, then have them printed on cardboard and then punch them out yourself. Use beautiful, readable fonts that are consistent with the design and theme of your letters. If desired, the fonts can also be designed in any color. Let your creativity run wild!
With motif punches you can make wonderful patterns and motifs yourself and use them to decorate greetings, birthday and invitation cards. They are also perfect for making beautiful Open me if letters. In the craft store you can find motif punches with any pattern and create a pretty decoration for your letters and envelopes. The punched motifs look particularly beautiful and decorative on colorful paper and create atmospheric decorations.
Alternatively, labels can be ordered and beautifully labeled. Instead of writing them by hand, you can write letters on them with a stamp. These are available individually or as an alphabet set. This allows you to design the envelopes beautifully without printing out the labels. This idea is good for those who don't have nice handwriting and don't want to write on envelopes by hand. You can also make stamps with letters yourself using various household materials. Wine corks, erasers or foam rubber, for example, are ideal for this.
