Halloween letter to a pen pal: 7 things to write about and an example
A Halloween letter that asks how your pen pal’s town spends October 31 gets more replies than a scary one. 7 ideas, an example letter and how to get the Halloween stamp.
A Halloween letter that asks how your pen pal's town spends October 31 gets more replies than a scary one, because the day looks very different from country to country. On Lettie, sending one letter between Oct 24, 12:00 UTC and Nov 1, 12:00 UTC earns a free Halloween stamp.
Halloween looks different everywhere
| Where | What the day looks like |
|---|---|
| US & Canada | Kids dress up and go trick-or-treating; pumpkins become jack-o'-lanterns |
| Ireland & UK | Halloween is usually traced back to Samhain, a Celtic autumn festival |
| Mexico | Right after Halloween, November 1–2 is the Day of the Dead, honouring those who have died |
| Korea & Japan | Mostly a costume night for young people; many people don't mark it at all |
7 things to write about
- October 31 where you live — shop decorations, a costume you saw, or an ordinary evening.
- Something that scared you as a kid — keep it light. They'll tell you one back.
- A costume you wore, or want to wear — describing it in words feels more like a letter than a photo.
- Autumn food — pumpkin, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, whatever this season tastes like for you.
- A one-line-each story — start with "When I opened the door…" and leave the next sentence to them.
- A similar day — if Halloween isn't a thing there, ask what day comes around this time of year.
- The stamp on your letter — if you used the Halloween stamp (a black cat beside a jack-o'-lantern under an orange moon), start there.
Example letter
Hi! On my way home today, the bakery window had paper pumpkins on it. Halloween isn't a big thing here, but every October the shops quietly turn orange. I didn't know Halloween as a kid, and the first jack-o'-lantern I saw honestly scared me. What does October 31 look like where you are? Was there something that scared you as a kid?
If your pen pal reads another language, the translate button on the writing screen turns your draft into theirs.
A few cautions
- Skip gore. Translation can make it read harsher than you meant.
- Some people don't celebrate Halloween for religious or family reasons. Ask, don't push.
- Send a day early to land on the 31st. Letters take 1–24 hours depending on distance.
Other holiday stamps are in the 2026–2027 holiday stamp calendar; for openers, see how to start a pen pal letter.
Frequently asked questions
- What should I write in a Halloween letter?
- Letters that ask how your pen pal’s town spends Halloween get more replies than scary stories. One scene from your own October 31 plus one question is enough.
- Can I write to a friend who doesn’t celebrate Halloween?
- Yes. Many countries and people don’t celebrate it, so ask about a similar day in their calendar instead.
- How do I get the Lettie Halloween stamp?
- Send one letter between Oct 24, 12:00 UTC and Nov 1, 12:00 UTC and a free stamp arrives.