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Creating the Perfect Closing
Keep things simple with one- or two- word closings. The “closing”or “sign off”is the part of the letter right before your name where you basically say “goodbye.” Common examples include "Love," "Sincerely," "Best," and so on. If you're having trouble thinking of what to say, consider going for a closing that's short and sweet. There's much to be said for the sweetness of a simple, sincere end to the letter. Ideas: “Love,” “Yours,” “With love,” “Always,” “Be well,” Use when: You want to come across as elegant or classy, or if you’re in a long-term relationship and sappier endings seem "fake." Don't use when: You want to come across as creative. You’re bursting with emotion and want this to come across on the page. Your partner has complained that you are "too distant."
Use a "-ly" closing. One common way to close a letter is with a single word ending in "-ly," or an adverb. Since it’s used at the end of a letter, these words are what you want the other person to remember most. When writing a love letter, choose "-ly" words that emphasize how much you care about the other person or how excited you are to receive a reply from them. Ideas: “Devotedly,” “Unquestioningly,” “Truly,” “Faithfully,” Use when: You want an easy way to be descriptive about how you feel. Don't use when: You're early on in a relationship, since this can seem a little cliched or overly formal.
Use humor to get the giggles going. Looking to make your crush or partner laugh? A little levity can turn a love letter from a dull affair into something that's a joy to read. In this case, the sign-off is your "closing shot." Throw in a silly or childish one-liner to end your letter on a positive note! Ideas: “L8rz,” “Toodles,” “With intestinal distress,” “Yours, I guess,” “Man, I'm pretty,” Use when: You want to cheer your partner up, or you want to make things between you lighthearted and fun. This closing is sure to make the other person smile and take some of the pressure off for making your letter "perfect." Don't use when: You can't think of anything funny to say. Your partner is worried that you aren't taking the relationship seriously. You've just had an argument.
Be sincere and specific. Love letters offer rare chances to communicate what's on your mind and show love to someone. According to certified professional matchmaker Julia McCurley, the best way to open up is to “be honest and upfront” and “share how you feel about [someone].” With this in mind, close your letter with a romantic lyric or line to emphasize how much you care about the other person. Ideas: “I need you,” “You're the only one,” “You complete me,” “Love you to the moon and back,” “Love you 3000,” “And it was all yellow,” “Love never felt so good,” “I will never let you down,” Use when: You feel secure and confident in your relationship. Don't use when: You aren’t 100% sure how serious your relationship is. This can be embarrassing and awkward if the other person doesn't feel the same way about you.
Don't be afraid to get sappy or affectionate. A love letter is the perfect place to be openly affectionate with someone you love or admire. If you’re in a relationship, professional matchmaker Julia McCurley says to end your love letter with “You are always in my heart,” “I love you now and forever,” or “I am yours forever.” Alternatively, sign off with a sweet term of endearment to make your partner blush. Ideas: “Your smooshums,” “Your pookie,” “Love you baby,” “XOXOXO,” “Snuggles,” “Smooches,” “Hugs and kisses,” “I will cherish you forever,” “Eternally yours,” Use when: You want to come across as warm, heartfelt, or funny. Your partner needs cheering up. Don't use when: Your partner has complained about you being too clingy. You want your partner to take you more seriously.
Reference an inside joke. A great way to show that you've put some serious thought into your letter is to pick a closing that only you and the other person could possibly understand. It’s a great way to show off your sense of humor, plus build intimacy with your crush or partner. Ideas: "Would you like some fries with that?" "Don't forget to file those TPS reports," "Not too shabby," “Not bad but not good,” Use when: You want to come across as funny and creative. You want to show that you're putting mental effort into your relationship. You want to remind your partner of a great time you had together. Don't use when: You don't have very many memories with your partner yet—this can seem bizarre if the other person doesn't “get” the joke.
Adding Romantic Visuals
Sign off in cursive. The classic love letter is a breathless, passionate note scrawled with a plume or a fountain pen on parchment. Add some old-fashioned charm by writing you closing in cursive. Big, loopy, dramatic letters can call to mind the star-crossed lovers of past centuries for an oh-so-romantic effect. If you're going to write in cursive, practice on a blank sheet of paper beforehand, instead of just scrawling your signature in. You want to make sure the other person can recognize your name!
Add hearts and other romantic symbols wherever you can. Express your feelings (and score some brownie points) by sprinkling cute symbols of love throughout your closing. Hearts are a classic choice, but feel free to draw flowers, wedding rings, swans, cupid’s arrows, or a sweet stick figure couple representing you and your partner. Sprinkle in X’s and O’s to represent hugs and kisses. Draw a small heart wherever you’d normally dot a lowercase “i” or “j.” Alternatively, apply lipstick and press your lips to the letter to seal it with a kiss.
Experiment with large, illuminated letters. If you want to go the extra mile, use your closing to show off your artistic skills. Draw each letter (or just the first letter) as a detailed, elaborate picture. You can include plants, animals, or other motifs that the other person adores to make your letter feel personal. If you need inspiration, look up photos of medieval manuscript letters online.
Use a dramatic font, if you’re typing. Today, the vast majority of letters are created with some help from a computer, but it doesn’t mean you have to settle for plain text like Times New Roman. Experiment with an eye-catching font to add creativity and beauty to your closing. Most word processors include a variety of options, and you can always download fonts online. Here are a just a few fonts included with recent editions of Office that you may want to use: Blackadder, Bradley Hand, Brush Script, Colonna, Kunstler Script, Parchment, Vivaldi Italic. Sites like 1001fonts.com and dafont.com offer thousands of free fonts you can download to your computer.
Personalizing Your Letter
Omit your name for an anonymous love letter. Looking for a way to secretly profess your love? Leave out your name to keep the other person guessing. It allows you to be mysterious, making your letter even more enticing. When you’re ready, you can reveal your feelings to your crush (and hopefully transition from friends to dating). A fun variation on this is to write your letter as normal, then cut your name out. Keep this slip of paper and give it to the other person to surprise them.
End your love letter in a different language. Do you want to add even more romance to your letter? Translate “I love you” (or another closing of your choice) into your favorite language for an unexpected twist. If you need help finding the right words, use an online translation tool like Google Translate. Some heartfelt phrases include: “Beijinhos” = “Kisses” in Portuguese “محبكم” = “Yours lovingly” in Arabic “Con amore” = “With love” in Italian “愛してます” = “I love you” in Japanese “Con cariño” = “With affection” in Spanish “我会一直陪着你” = “I’ll always be with you” in Chinese “Te voi iubi mereu” = “I will always love you” in Romanian “항상 당신의 곁에 있을게요” = “I will always be by your side” in Korean “Je t’aime de tout mon coeur” = “I love you with all of my heart” in French
Draw cute pictures all over your letter. If you want to add extra personality to your letter, doodle something sweet on the corners and edges of your paper. Try to incorporate images that align with the other person’s interests. This can include things like: food, animals, plants, music notes, crests, emblems, cartoons, or a portrait of their favorite celebrity. If you’re not artistically gifted, write your letter on decorative stationery.
Include clippings or personal objects for a romantic touch. Throwing in a small gift is a great way to express love and make someone feel special. Reflect on your favorite memories together and choose something that reminds you of them. Or, write a poem or song and attach it to the closing. If you need some inspiration, here are a few options that are easy to include in your letter: Fortune cookie slips A handwritten poem or song Photos of you and the other person Magazine clippings that have personal meaning Movie or event tickets from something you attended together A leaf or flower pressing from a park the two of you enjoy visiting
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