What exactly is letterboxing? Does it involve a pile of junkmail and a big pair of red gloves? No, but that could be fun, too.
Letterboxing is an excuse to take a walk ... with a big ol' twist of adventure. It's part treasure hunt, part stamp collecting, and a whole lot of fun! You're intrigued now, aren't you?
Letterboxes are small, weatherproof boxes hidden in publicly-accessible places (like parks). There are about 20,000 letterboxes hidden in North America, and clues are posted online at several different websites.
What's in the box? Well, that's where the you'll find the treasure, of course! Each letterbox contains a log book, a rubber stamp, and sometimes an ink pad. You see the real goal of letterboxing is to let others know you found it - it's all about bragging rights. When you find the box, you make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp in your own log book and leave an imprint of your own personal stamp on the letterbox's log book.
According to Letterboxing.org, to get started, you’ll need a “trail name,” rubber stamp, small sketch book, pencil or pen, an ink pad, and (optionally) a compass.
Your trail name is your letterboxing identity. Work together as a family to come up with a name that represents you. It could be funny or meaningful. Make time this week to decide on a trail name over dinner or in the car on the way to school.
Remember, when you find the box, you make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp in your own Finder's Journal and leave an imprint of your Signature Stamp on the letterbox's log book. If you letterbox as a family, you can either use one team stamp or a stamp for each person. You may choose to purchase a stamp at your local craft store or you can make your own.
Instructions for making your own stamp can be found here.
At a minimum, you should carry one inkpad. You'll need it for all the stamping you'll do once you find the letterbox. You'll leave your stamp in the log book and take an imprint of the box's stamp in your sketch book.
Bring along a pencil or pen. In addition to your stamp, you'll want to write some information in the log book: your trail name, date, and a personal comment about your experience in the log book.
Although many letterbox clues don’t require it, you should consider purchasing a simple compass.
Gather everything together - from around the house or a quick stop at the local craft store - and put it in a small bag. You're now ready to hit the trail! Next week, you'll get the lowdown on where to find Letterboxes in our community, the best websites for Letterboxing clues, and a few additional tips.Now that you have the basic idea, come up with a trail name and make (or buy) your own signature stamp this week. Then come back next week to find out how about finding a letterbox as well as hiding your own!
