Toast in the post

Meg Wilshier is a self-proclaimed advocate for snail mail, with a slight twist.

When visiting home from university, Meg’s son bought a potato peeler and, naturally, went back to university without it. Posting it to him, Meg didn’t want to use even more packaging, so she wrote the address on the peeler itself, put some stamps on it, and sent it on its way. Soon after, a jandal arrived in her postbox, and that was all it took.

The game grew, and more family members joined in. For more than two years, objects were posted all over New Zealand with only one rule, no packaging. The stamp and address had to be on the object itself.

Over the years Meg has collected all the items back up and keeps boxes of the unusual post. The items range from tape measures, shoelaces, and odd socks, to leaves, high heels, and a piece of toast.

All things with a message on them and a bit of news.

“As the game got more sophisticated we thought that it was a good idea to just talk about what’s happening in your life or the world, like any letter, it dates itself as a consequence of the time.”

Looking through the boxes, you might find a giant gobstopper with the latest family news on it, or a jandal referencing the Christchurch earthquakes.

Every item is a tangible piece of history in the making, and Meg is proud of her part in that.

“I often think and feel anxious about the primary documents that are not here and now. The things we know about the past are as a consequence of letters and primary documents. They’re so precious. We learnt a lot. A history book will present something in a certain way, whereas a letter is an absolute slice of someone’s life and it’s without guile and without thinking of a wider audience than it’s sending it to.”

So next time you have to post something, leave the packaging alone. Give Meg’s posting game a go with a friend, you never know what you’ll get in return.

“I do feel very strongly [about it]. We know we’re losing our community in many many ways. We know that life is hurtling along at a vast ridiculous rate, and so to slow down and write something and to take the time it takes to write. It’s very respectful and honouring of friendships. I encourage people to use snail mail; I think it’s very important.”