National Smile Week
Celebrating National Smile Week
at the Farmers Market, August 5, 2023
Join us to begin National Smile Week, and send a smile to someone important to you.
We offer stationery, envelopes, and postage, with a writing table or clipboard where you might pen your thoughts. We have a variety of vintage postcards from the Winchester Historical Society, and you can choose from a collection of vintage greeting cards to deliver your message. We post your letter, card, or postcard to be on its way by the end of the day.
As always, we offer free consultation and ideas for all types of letter writing. We are funded by the Winchester Cultural Council, at no cost to you!
National Smile Week
Originating as a campaign for dental health, the 2nd week in August has been celebrated as National Smile Week. This event (for the second week in August) and National Smile Month (earlier in the summer) focus on things that make us smile and how to incorporate more smiles into our days. Letters Trellis hopes to connect the contagion of smiles with the joy of sending and receiving a handwritten letter as a gift to someone you know.
When you are happy your endorphins increase and cause your body to change physiologically to impact your heart and breathing rate. Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman from the University of Kansas have conducted research on smiles and stress using chopsticks to change facial expressions while undergoing a stressful task. They found that a simulated smile has a positive effect even when the smile is artificially obtained.
You can bring a heart-healthy smile to a loved one or friend. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Smiles are contagious. Consider someone who needs a smile delivered to their mailbox, and “post one forward”.
Receiving a hand-written letter is a great way to deliver a smile even if it’s been awhile since you’ve been in touch. Do you know someone who could use a surprise?
Once you have selected your letter recipient, try these tips:
Think of something that will bring cheer because it reflects what you have shared in the past or that reminds you of them.
Enclose an old photo or clipping from something you have read (or printed from the computer).
Laughter is the best medicine – and in order to laugh you must smile first. Your letter might lead to a very healthy chuckle for someone you love. Relate a funny anecdote you have heard recently.
Share this idea and challenge your children or friends to write their own letters.
Since National Smile Week was originally intended to promote dental health, take steps to care for your own beautiful smile, too.
Happy National Smile Week – we hope you are inspired to write a letter to someone you love. We are confident that smiles and grins will emerge as you imagine your posted letter arriving to someone you care for.
Adapted from: https://www.registrypartners.com/national-smile-week/
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/smiling-facilitates-stress-recovery.html