A bunch of my "online friends" started a postcard exchange a few years back. 
We each keep a list of names and addresses, and when we visit someplace interesting, we buy a bunch of postcards and then send one to everyone on the list.
It's way more fun to open your mailbox and find a postcard in there, instead of nothing but bills and ads. Birthdays come just once a year, but people travel at all different times, so this kind of "good mail" can come year-round. I've collected postcards from nearly every state in the USA, as well as a few foreign countries. My sister saves postcards she receives from some of her well-traveled friends so that I can add those to my collection as well.
Some of my friends, knowing the ages of my children, would send cards they thought the kids would like. My younger son has a small photo album full of postcards--we made it into an alphabet book when he was a toddler. Postcards of bears, penguins, alligators and eagles fill the pages. And they're great for helping children learn map skills, as they can locate the city or state of origin for each postcard on a map. No matter what your age, though, it always gives you a lift to get a cheerful, colorful postcard in the mailbox.
COUPON TIME
Enjoy these travel deals--but don't forget to send your friends a postcard!
Up to $100 Rebate on your Hotel stay from Hotels.com 
Use this link to view the coupon.
Get $20 with a 3-Night Booking
Get $30 with a 5-Night Booking
Get $50 with a 8-Night Booking
Get $75 with an 10-Night Booking
Get $100 with a 12-Night Booking
Valid for reservations booked online through September 30, 2009
Travel through November 30, 2009
See other Hotels.com coupons!
$25 off San Antonio, TX hotel stays of 3 or more nights on Travelocity 
Enter promo code SAN25 at checkout.
Valid through: September 10, 2009 11:59pm ET
See other Travelocity coupon codes!
Finally, who knew we had an Encyclopedia section here at Ultimate Coupons! We have some special pages on Back-to-School shopping that you just can't miss--so I'm going to give you all the links and topics. Check out our Going Green for Back to School page for great info on environmentally-friendly product sources. There's info for college students on back-to-school spending. There are bargains to be had on computers and electronics--we've got the info. If you'd like to learn about back-to-school shopping trends, we have info on that too; specifically, online sales and clothing sales.
And it wouldn't be Labor Day weekend without some special sales. Here's how to snag the best deals on Travel and Apparel.
