A postcard from a loved one on a journey in a land far away.A thank-you note for a gift sent to your new bundle of joy. Annual Christmas cards wishing tidings of good joy.

All things that time has seemingly erased.

In a digitally wired society, the act of handwriting anything has just about vanished. Gone are the days of putting pen to paper to leave someone a message about a missed phone call, to catch someone up on life’s busy affairs, to even make a grocery list. How easy it is for us to simply send an email or a text wishing someone well. We’d like to change that.

There is something uniquely special about taking the time to write a note to someone. Big or small, there is a timelessness to handwritten correspondence—where the recipients of such a kind gesture probably hang onto those handwritten pieces, unlike texts or emails. Postcards held up by magnets on refrigerators, love letters placed in scrapbooks, or greeting cards slipped into a bedside table drawer for later reading, a handwritten note creates a personal connection that isn’t soon forgotten.

So, put away the phone. (Goodbye, Siri.) We’re getting back to the business of creating personal connections one card a time. From our favorite local Lowcountry boutiques to a few national retailers, check out some of the stationery sets, greeting cards, and writing pads—some artful, some personal, and some just perfect for that one-of-a-kind friend—that just may make your next handwritten note one that is cherished for years to come.

Monarch Writing Pad, Paper Source, $14.95
Monogram Stationery Set, Paper Source, $16.00
Please Deliver to Stamp, Paper Source, $9.95
Make a List Writing Pad, The Paris Market, $11.00
Houseplant Jungle Everyday Pen Set, Paper Source, $16.99
Lettermate Addressing Guide, Paper Source, $9.95
This Is Not a Text Foldover Card Set, Barnes & Noble, $20.00
Hello Sprigs Foil Notecard Set, Barnes & Noble, $12.95
Thank You Kindly Card, White’s Mercantile, $5.00
You Mean a Great Dill to Me Card, White’s Mercantile, $5.00
100 Gathered Thoughts Notepad, White’s Mercantile, $16.00
Calls for Celebration Cards, La Paperie, $20.00
The Grove Notecards, Markel’s Gifts, $13.99
Oyster Stripe Notecard Set, Emily McCarthy, $25.00
Sporting Luxe Notecard Set, Emily McCarthy, $25.00