Given the choice, most Hong Kong students would send friends an e-mail rather than go to the trouble of writing a letter. However, if you could post a letter free of charge, would you be more willing to put pen to paper?
To encourage young people to communicate by post, Hongkong Post yesterday held a special 'Free Post Day'.
Nearly 400 primary and secondary students were able to deliver specially designed letters to local and overseas addresses for free after taking part in Hongkong Post's annual letter-writing competition.
Leonie Xin Chao, of Diocesan Girls' Junior School, won the English-language championship by writing about how much she missed a former classmate who was now at a British boarding school.
'I like to write about unhappiness to soothe away my sorrow,' says the 12-year-old. Although the letter was mostly imaginary, she described a loving relationship with her classmate.
In contrast, Chinese-language winner Li Ling-hang based his letter on childhood memories of an elderly single man who lived near his home. Ling-hang firmly believes youngsters and elderly people can be good friends by swapping views and life experiences. 'The man took good care of me when I was only three years old. He later emigrated overseas and I have written the letter in memory of him,' explains the La Salle Junior School student, who is also 12.