What are the odds?

What are the odds? Last year I met one of the hosts at the American Philatelic Society (APS) Postcrossing meetup. This year, when I drew a random Postcrossing address, it turned out to be hers! After mailing her postcard, I packed my backpack for Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, hoping we'd meet again at this year's SCOPEX meetup, and we did. Along the way, I also met fellow Postcrossers from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

This year's meetup postcard featured a family of ducks inspired by the feathered residents of nearby Spring Creek, which flows beside APS headquarters. The historic town of Bellefonte, whose name means "beautiful spring," is known for its natural springs, making the duck theme especially fitting. The meetup was held in the beautifully restored Pennsylvania Match Factory, home of the APS, and it wasn't hard to see where the postcard's inspiration came from.

One of the things that makes this meetup so special is its location. Gathering at APS headquarters gives visitors the opportunity to experience an organization dedicated to stamp collecting. The headquarters includes a small exhibit area, library, and gift shop, and because many members donate philatelic material, there is always a wonderful selection of postal-themed items for sale.

Of course, I couldn't leave empty-handed! I picked up mint postage stamps for my Postcrossing mailings, along with several USPS postcards featuring stamps. This year's additions included postcards highlighting lighthouses, Disney characters, and trains, perfect for future Postcrossing exchanges.

Another highlight of meeting at APS is its on-site USPS Contract Postal Unit. Everyone had the opportunity to mail their postcards right there and have them canceled with the APS postmark, creating a special souvenir from the day.

One of my favorite APS traditions is Laurie's Mailbox. Postcrossers from around the world send postcards to Laurie's Mailbox, and if you include your return address, APS will send a postcard back to you. It's a fun way to connect with fellow collectors, and your postcard might even be featured on APS social media or in one of their newsletters.

Laurie's Mailbox
c/o American Philatelic Society
100 Match Factory Place
Bellefonte, PA 16823

Every meetup reminds me why I love the Postcrossing community. Whether it's reconnecting with friends I've met through the mail, discovering postcards and stamps, or simply spending the day with people who share a love of them, the trip to Bellefonte is always worthwhile. I'm already looking forward to next year's meetup!

Stargazing Memories

Have you ever received a postcard and immediately gone online to see if you could buy more? That's exactly what I did when I received this beautiful round postcard featuring the night sky.

My father was an astronomer, and he taught our family to always look up. Many of our vacations centered around stargazing and observing the night sky. One of our favorite places to visit was Shenandoah National Park, where Big Meadows offers wonderful views of the stars.

This postcard brought back many happy memories of lying in a lounge chair under a dark sky, searching for constellations and watching the stars appear.

The postcard was created by Mailbox Memories and can be found at mailboxmemories.org. 

The postcard encouraged recipients to write down three things they were grateful for. Here are mine:

A full mailbox, and the postal carrier who fills it with happy mail every day.

The beautiful stamps issued by the USPS.

The friends near and far exchange postcards with me.

I love both the message and the mission behind Mailbox Memories. Their postcards are affordable, thoughtfully designed, and encourage us to appreciate the joy of connecting through the mail.

After receiving this postcard, I went online and ordered some for myself!

A Unique Postcard for That Dad Guy

 

One of the postcards I mailed from the Boston 2026 World Expo Stamp Show was sent to That Dad Guy, who hosts a YouTube channel featuring Postcrossing and Canada Post.

I decided to send him an "unofficial" meetup postcard rather than one of the official postcards created for the event.

Each day of the meetup had an official postcard, but many attendees also designed and printed their own postcards. These postcards were often shared on the "Trash to Treasure" table, where people could exchange postcards, supplies, and other postcard-related items.

One of the postcards was created by a Canadian attendee. Since That Dad Guy is from Canada, I thought it would be a fitting choice.

I suspected that someone would be sending him the official meetup postcards. He has a large following and receives a lot of mail, so I wanted to send something a little different, something that would stand out.

What made the postcard especially unique was that it was a text postcard. Rather than featuring artwork or a photograph, it consisted of a series of statements such as "This is a postcard."

At first glance, the design seemed simple. But the more I looked at it, the more I appreciated the message behind it.

The statements highlighted something that Postcrossers already know: sending and receiving postcards is about connection, sharing experiences, and building community.

When That Dad Guy featured the postcard in one of his videos, he pointed out the same thing. The text wasn't really describing a postcard, it was describing why postcards matter.

That is one reason I am glad I chose this postcard. It wasn't the official meetup card, but it captured the spirit of Postcrossing.

Filling My Boston 2026 World Expo Stamp Show Passport

Spain Passport Stamps

 

At the Boston 2026 World Expo Stamp Show, one of my favorite activities was filling out my Official Passport. The passport book, printed by Scott Stamps LLC, encouraged visitors to explore the show by visiting international postal administrations and club booths to collect stamps and special cancellations.

I wish more international post offices had been able to attend the show, but I understand that recent tariffs created challenges. A few countries had planned to participate but were unable to get their stamps through customs in time for the event. Even so, there were many opportunities to discover international stamps.

One of the highlights for me was receiving a stamp and special cancellation from Ukraine. I have always admired how Ukrainian stamps tell the story of the country's struggle for independence and resilience. Since there are many Postcrossers in Ukraine, I wanted to support the post office there.

Another stop I enjoyed was the United Nations booth. They had several notebooks filled with older stamps available for purchase at face value. Browsing through the pages felt a bit like a treasure hunt. There were so many designs and topics represented that I found myself looking for stamps that spoke to me personally.

In the end, I selected a variety of stamps that reflected different causes and themes. One that especially caught my attention was a stamp highlighting refugees. I appreciate stamps that tell stories and raise awareness about important issues. Choosing stamps from notebooks was an opportunity to connect with the messages and history represented in each design.

I was excited to obtain a stamp from Greenland. Their booth sold postcards, which I had to buy. Greenland's presence fit perfectly with one of the show's major attractions, a large exhibit dedicated to polar philately. Between the exhibits and club booths, it was a way to learn more about a place that feels remote.

One of the unexpected highlights of the show was meeting a Postcrosser from Switzerland at the meetups. She generously brought along a selection of canceled stamps to share with fellow attendees. I was delighted to add them to my passport. These stamps may not have come from an official booth, but they are some of my favorite additions because they represent the friendships and connections that make Postcrossing so special. Every stamp has a story, and these remind me of the people I met and the conversations we shared during the show.

My passport may be full of stamps and cancellations, but it is also full of memories. Each page is a connection to another part of the world. That's one of the things I love most about stamp shows: they remind me how the postal hobby brings people and places together.