Even the humblest material artifact, which is the product and symbol of a particular civilization, is an emissary of the culture out of which it comes. --T.S. Eliot

I hadn't thought much about Postcrossing on youtube. I suppose that's because a video about writing or sending postcards doesn't seem terribly compelling! A quick search today, though, gave me quite a few results. This first one is posted by Ana Campos, Postcrossing's Community Manager and Website Designer. To celebrate its 6th birthday, Postcrossing asked members to send in photos of themselves with six postcards. I "know" some of the people in the pictures through the forum.400 people sent in their photos.The photos capture the diversity of people participating in the project.

The next video is from Postcrossing's 5th birthday and features photos of members mailing their cards.Postcrossing members are very interested in seeing mailboxes from around the world, so this video is very appropriate. it speaks to the desire to connect and to "see" into the life of another. Nedra Reynolds writes that "identities .... are reproduced in the everyday" (549). Images of the everyday help us to make connections with others. Images of celebrities walking their dogs or grocery shopping make them seem more real somehow. Thus, photos of Postcrossing members enacting a mundane activity like posting their cards, add another layer of tangibility. I admit, I got a bit excited when I saw some familiar faces in the video above. 

I really love this one. Anna-Lisa does a good job of explaining the appeal of Postcrossing. 

This one is quite inventive. It uses postcards to create a fairy tale. 

Search results  reveal videos from all over the world. Some explain how Postcrossing works. Many are testimonials from users explaining why they love Postcrossing.  A common theme seems to be a desire to connect with other people and to send a tiny bit of happiness to a stranger. The videos are as diverse as Postcrossing's membership.

Works Cited

Reynolds, Nedra. “Who’s Going to Cross this Border? Travel Metaphors, Material Conditions, and Contested Places.” JAC 20.3 (2000): 541-64. Print.