DO you remember the excitement of getting a letter in the post with foreign stamps on it and that thrill of hearing from someone far away?
If, like me, you remember a time before computers, emails and social media when people actually wrote letters, then you may have been someone who sent handwritten communication.
And if you were in school before the internet existed, you may recall that children would often write actual, physical letters to pen pals across the world.
Whether it was a French exchange student or a pupil from a school in England, we probably had a pen pal somewhere - that new friend from another corner of the world, one that you got to know through letters.
For many of us, pen pals were a staple part of childhood.
We were regularly paired up with pals overseas, getting to know that person, their family, their interests and being introduced to new cultures and ways of life - all through a simple letter in the post.
Scrawled notes telling of my hobbies, pets and favourite food were among the obscure topics I used to discuss with one of my favourite pen pals, Celine from Toulouse.
I have fond memories of writing to Celine, who I was paired with through my French teacher at school. As a 12-year-old girl, I couldn't wait to get her letters in the post, to hear about her interesting life in the southern French city.
Her life sounded fun and exciting, she got to enjoy the sunshine and didn't have to wear uniform to school, those things really stood out to me.
But through exchanging letters with her, the main thing I gleaned from her life was that it was not that different to mine.
However, the wonderful quaint tradition of writing to pen pals has not surprisingly dwindled with advances of technology.
Like many, I lost touch with my pen pals as it became easier to communicate with people across the world through email and social media, rather than sending them a letter.
Much like many parts of our lives nowadays, less is actually handwritten - school books, diaries, wall planners, they all used to be full of messy handwriting, notes and reminders.
But in this instant-gratification world we live in, computers, phones and tablets have replaced the need for a pen and paper and for writing things down. Other than our signatures for transactions or signing contracts, we rarely handwrite in our day to day lives.
Young people today may never be able to fully grasp the importance of learning how to put pen to paper and writing to someone at the other side of the world.
They may never be able to experience the joy of anticipation and the more satisfying reward of getting that letter in the post after a wait. By having a pen pal, children can form new friendships and learn about a culture that you may not have experienced before.
Allowing children to connect and share in another child's joys and adventures is a great way to build a friendship, it teaches them to learn that there is a world bigger than themselves.
Reading first-hand stories from their pen pal can encourage children to think creatively and it is a great opportunity to help them grow in what could be a lifelong, lasting friendship.
Letter writing and communicating with pen and paper is disappearing and there will be few remnants of it left soon.
You might assume email and social media had killed off the traditional pen pal, it may be old school and most people don't do it any more, but the real life interaction with people through simple letter writing has an enduring appeal.
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Competition
To celebrate the festive season, Lidl Northern Ireland has teamed up with The Irish News to offer four lucky readers the chance to win a £25 gift voucher to spend at one of Lidl's 38 stores in NI in the run up to Christmas.
Create special moments with friends and family this Christmas by preparing a scrumptious festive menu which includes a selection of items from Lidl’s Deluxe range or pick up a fragrance, game or gadget for a loved one.
The impressive Deluxe range offers all the Christmas favourites such as a four bird roast, Christmas pudding and cranberry and port sauce to complete your festive feast as well as unique products such as duck sausages, Canadian lobster tails and turkey, ham and brie pizza for those looking for something a bit more alternative.
There are also plenty of gifts available in store to suit every budget and taste - from watches and cosmetic brushes to classical acoustic guitars and wooden playhouses. The incredible range of gifts will delight kids, teens, parents and grandparents alike and are all available in Lidl stores across NI.
To be in with a chance to win one of four £25 gift vouchers to spend at your local Lidl store, simply email your name, address and telephone number - along with the answer to the question below - to competitions@irishnews.com
Closing date for entries is Tuesday December 6 at noon.
(Q) How many Lidl stores are in Northern Ireland?
Normal Irish News Rules Apply
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What's Hot!
Festive fun - Ballyhackamore's Christmas Market takes place on December 10 at St Colmcille's church in east Belfast from 11am to 4pm. There will be 25 stalls offering festive foodie treats, gifts as well as an Irish Dancing display, carol concert from St Joseph's Primary School and seasonal tunes from Ormeau Concert Band. Santa and Mrs Claus will arrive on a fire engine and entertain the children with yuletide tales in the church hall.
Taking the tube - Oscar-winning millionaire Eddie Redmayne is more than happy to ride public transport with everyone else when it comes to dashing around London. The actor snubbed chauffeurs and was spotted taking the London underground.
What's Not!
Not fans - Former Top Gear hosts James May and Richard Hammond are obviously not fans of Ed Balls. The presenters have branded the Strictly Come Dancing star an "idiot" who lacks the dignity for political leadership. The former shadow chancellor finally got the boot from the show on Sunday night after weeks of defying judges' poor scores.
Fire - Rare punk memorabilia worth millions of pounds has been torched in the middle of the River Thames. Joe Corre, the son of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and Dame Vivienne Westwood, burnt the items - said to be worth £5 million.
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Competition winner
The winners of last week's competition to win a copy of Sammy Sun Is Coming Out To Play is Anne Henry from Maghera, John McCloskey from Drumahoe, Mary P Maskey from Glengormley and Deirdre Meehan from Larne.
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Easy Peasy Recipe
This week's Easy Peasy Recipe is clementine, white chocolate and ginger mousse recipe courtesy of Marks and Spencer.
You will need:
1 Sheet Gelatine
150 g White chocolate
4 Egg yolks
2 Zest and juice clementines
To make:
Soften the gelatine in cold water for a few minutes
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water)
Remove the heat and set aside
Place another heatproof bowl over the pan of simmering eater and whisk the egg yolks, clementine zest, juice and grated ginger until thick and creamy, with some air bubbles. This takes 5-10 minutes
Squeeze the gelatine to remove excess water, then add it to the egg mixture
Whisk again until combined and the gelatine has dissolved
Remove from the heat and gently fold in the melted chocolate
Leave to cool to room temperature
Whip the double cream into soft peaks, and gently fold it into the cooled chocolate mixture
Divide among 4 glasses and chill in the fridge for 2 hours, or until set.
Garnish with grated clementine zest and a twist of peel, to serve.
Do you have an Easy Peasy recipe you would like to share?
Are you the queen of quiches, magnificent at muffins or can you turn out some nice scones?
If so, then we want to hear from you.
You can send your name, address, contact number and recipe (plus photo if possible) to:
Easy Peasy Recipes,
Suzanne McGonagle,
Irish News
113-117 Donegall Street,
Belfast,
BT1 2GE
or
s.mcgonagle@irishnews.com
