How to write a postcard: what to write, how to fill it out, and 50+ message ideas

How do you fill out a postcard?

A postcard has two sides. The front is the picture. The back is where you write, and most printed cards split it with a vertical line. Fill out the back like this:

Your message goes on the left half. The recipient’s name and address go on the lines in the right half. The stamp goes in the upper-right corner, which DMM 604.1.7 requires for stamps. If you add a return address, it goes in the upper-left corner of the address side (DMM 602.1.5), usually tucked above your message. Leave the strip along the bottom edge blank, because DMM 202.5.1 reserves a clear zone there for the Postal Service’s barcode.

That’s the whole layout. For address formatting, a worked example, and the size rules for the postcard price, read our full guide on addressing a postcard. The rest of this article is about the part people actually get stuck on: what to write.

• How to address a postcard ↗
• USPS: How to send a letter or postcard ↗

What should you write on a postcard?

A postcard isn’t a letter. You have a few square inches, and the person reading it knows that, so nobody expects a full report. The best postcard messages do one thing well: they make the reader feel like they were there for a second, or that you thought of them specifically.

Use this four-part structure and you’ll never stare at a blank card:

1. Greeting: their name, or a short opener. “Hi Mom,” “Dear Aunt Rosa,” or just “Sam —” all work.
2. One vivid detail: a single specific thing you saw, ate, heard, or did. “The ferry smelled like diesel and cinnamon rolls” beats “The trip is great.”
3. A personal line: connect it to them. “You’d have loved the bookstore,” “Thinking of our trip in 2019,” or “Can’t wait to tell you the rest.”
4. Sign-off: a closing phrase and your name.

How much can you write on a postcard?

Less than you think. On a standard 4 × 6 card, the message half is about 3 inches wide. Once you leave room for a return address at the top and the blank barcode strip at the bottom, you have roughly 3 by 3 inches to write in.

The word counts below are our estimates, worked out from that area, typical handwriting of about four to six words per 3-inch line, and printed text at a normal reading size. Your handwriting and font will change the numbers, so treat them as a planning guide, not a rule.

• Draft it first on scrap paper or your phone, then copy it over.
• Write small but legibly, and use a fine-tip pen that won’t smear.
• If you run out of room, cut adjectives, not the detail. The detail is the point.
• Never let the message spill into the address lines, stamp box, or bottom strip.

• Postcard sizes ↗

What to write on a postcard from vacation

Travel postcards are the classic. Skip the itinerary and pick one moment. These examples fit easily on a 4 × 6 card; swap in your own place and names.

• Coastal Hello postcard design ↗

What to write on a postcard to a friend

With friends you can be specific, a little weird, and full of inside jokes. The more it sounds like you, the better.

• “Found a café that plays only 90s R&B. Immediately thought of you. Come visit and I’ll take you.”
• “No reason for this card except that I miss you and the mailbox deserved something nicer than bills.”
• “Saw a dog wearing rain boots today and had no one to text who would appreciate it properly. So here you go.”
• “Remember when we got lost looking for that lake? I found it. It was 200 feet from the parking lot.”
• “Just finished the book you recommended. I cried on a train. Thanks, I guess.”
• “Proud of you for the new job. Dinner’s on me when I’m back.”
• “This town has a museum dedicated entirely to salt and pepper shakers. You would have bought the gift shop.”
• “Happy random Tuesday. You’re one of my favorite people. That’s the whole message.”

What to write on a postcard to grandparents and family

Grandparents and older relatives often keep postcards, so write clearly, use their name, and give them a picture of your day. Kids can dictate while an adult writes.

• “Dear Grandma — We went to the aquarium and Maya wouldn’t leave the jellyfish tank. She says hello and wants your cookie recipe. Love, all of us.”
• “Grandpa — I caught my first fish! It was small but I let it go like you showed me. — Ben”
• “Dear Aunt Rosa — The garden here reminded me of yours, especially the tomatoes. Hope your knee is feeling better. Love, Carmen”
• “Mom and Dad — Settled into the new apartment. The kitchen is tiny but the window gets morning sun. Call you Sunday.”
• “Hi Nana — School started this week. My teacher has a pet turtle named Gus. I miss you!”
• “Dear Uncle Pete — Drove past the diner where you took us every summer. Still the same pie. Still the best.”
• “Just a hello from the three of us to say we love you and we’re thinking of you today.”
• “Grandma and Grandpa — Thank you for the birthday money. I used it on art supplies, and this is my first drawing.”

Postcard messages for birthdays, thank-yous, and hard days

Postcards work for more than travel. A short, specific message on a card often lands better than a long one in an envelope.

• Birthday Wishes postcard design ↗
• How to write a thank you letter ↗
• How to write a condolence letter ↗

What should kids write on a postcard to a pen pal?

Kids do best with a fill-in-the-blank pattern: hello, one fact about me, one thing I did, one question for you. The question gives the pen pal something to answer. Have a grown-up check the card before it goes out, and leave out the child’s school name, full birthday, and anything else that identifies them beyond the mailing address.

• “Hi! My name is Noor and I’m 9. I like soccer and drawing horses. What do you like to do after school?”
• “Today it snowed so much that school was closed. I built a snowman with a carrot nose. Does it snow where you live?”
• “My favorite food is spaghetti. My dog is named Biscuit. What’s your pet’s name?”
• “This picture is my town’s lighthouse. We climbed 98 steps to the top! Write back soon!”
• “I just lost my first tooth. It was wiggly for two weeks. Have you lost any teeth yet?”
• “We’re learning about planets. My favorite is Saturn because of the rings. What’s yours?”
• “Hi pen pal! It’s summer here and we went to the lake. Tell me about your summer!”

Funny postcard messages

Humor works on a postcard because the format is already a little ridiculous. Keep it friendly; remember the mail carrier and anyone else who handles the card can read it.

• “Weather’s here. Wish you were beautiful.”
• “Having a wonderful time. Have not been arrested. Will update.”
• “The view is great. The postcard is just to prove I left the house.”
• “Spent more on this postcard than on lunch. You’re welcome.”
• “I came, I saw, I bought a magnet.”
• “Dear past me: you packed way too many shoes.”
• “The locals are friendly. The seagulls are not. Lost a sandwich.”
• “This card is all I could afford after the gift shop. Enjoy.”

How do you sign off a postcard?

Match the sign-off to the person. You don’t need a formal closing; a dash and your name is perfectly normal on a postcard.

What should you not write on a postcard?

A postcard has no envelope, so treat everything on it as public. Anyone who handles it on the way, or picks it up from the mailbox, can read it. Leave these off:

• Dates your house will be empty, or “we’re away until the 20th.” Write about the trip after you’re home, or keep it vague.
• Account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, or anything financial.
• Health details the recipient might not want others to see, including their own diagnosis.
• Private news like a breakup, a pregnancy, or a job loss that the person hasn’t shared yet.
• Anything you wouldn’t want their roommate, coworker, or mail carrier to read.
• For those messages, write a letter and seal it in an envelope instead.

• How to write a letter ↗

How to write a postcard to send from home or online

If you don’t have a card, a stamp, or a mailbox nearby, you can write your postcard online with IRIS. Choose an illustrated design such as Coastal Hello, Botanical Note, Birthday Wishes, or Client Thank You, or upload your own photo for the front. Then type your message for the back, enter your return address and the recipient’s US address, and preview both sides before you pay.

IRIS prints the card in full color and mails it by USPS First-Class Mail. A 4 × 6 postcard is $3.49 and a 6 × 9 postcard is $4.49, and both prices include postage. The larger card gives you room for a longer message.

Know the limits before you start. IRIS mails only to US addresses, so it can’t send a card abroad. Your message is printed, not handwritten. You can’t schedule a future send date; the card goes into production after you pay. USPS estimates 1–5 business days for First-Class Mail once the card enters the mailstream, and that estimate doesn’t count preparation time before mailing, so IRIS can’t promise a delivery date.

• Coastal Hello: a relaxed travel or hello card.
• Botanical Note: a quiet design for thank-yous and thinking-of-you notes.
• Birthday Wishes: for birthdays, belated or on time.
• Client Thank You: for businesses thanking a customer.

• Coastal Hello ↗
• Botanical Note ↗
• Birthday Wishes ↗
• Client Thank You ↗
• Send a photo as a postcard ↗
• USPS delivery times ↗