12 FREE LETTERS, COUNTLESS TEARS OF JOY
What we thought was a product test turned into something we weren't prepared for. The first time someone called us crying, we knew this wasn't just a product test.
BY OLETTRA · FEBRUARY 2, 2026
A Little Experiment with Big Heart
This holiday season, we gave away 12 free letters and flipbooks. Pick someone you miss, write them something meaningful, attach a short video—we'd print it and mail it. No strings attached.
We expected polite thank-yous and maybe some useful product feedback.
Instead, we got phone calls from people in tears. Messages at 2am. Stories that kept us up at night.
The Response Overwhelmed Us
We selected 12 people from our waitlist. Twelve strangers who trusted us with their most personal moments.
12
Letters Sent
Each one a leap of faith
100%
Positive Feedback
Not one regret
47
Suggestions Received
They wanted to help us build it
A daughter in California sent a flipbook of her toddler's first dance recital to her mother in Florida—who hadn't been able to travel for the performance.
A husband deployed overseas received a letter from his wife with a flipbook of their dog doing tricks in their backyard—the same backyard he'd been dreaming about for months.
A college student sent her grandmother a video message, just her face, saying “I love you, Nana. I'll be home soon.” Her grandmother called her crying.
“I didn't know I needed this until I held it in my hands.”
— Maria, grandmother of three
Stories That Moved Us
Every letter came with a story. Here are a few that we keep coming back to:
The First Steps
“My husband is stationed in Korea. Our daughter took her first steps last week, and I couldn't stop crying because he wasn't there. When I found out I could send him a flipbook of that moment—something he could actually hold and flip through whenever he misses her—I felt like I was giving him something I couldn't before. He told me he keeps it in his pocket.”
— Jessica, military spouse
Christmas Morning
“I live three thousand miles from my parents. They're in their 80s and don't really understand technology. I recorded my kids opening their Christmas presents, shouting 'Merry Christmas Grandma and Grandpa!' My mom said she's watched it a hundred times. She said it's the best gift she's ever gotten.”
— David, father of two
One Last Message
“My grandfather was in hospice. I recorded a video of me telling him how much he meant to me, how he shaped who I am. He passed two weeks later. My grandmother told me he watched that flipbook every day until the end. She still keeps it on his nightstand.”
— Anonymous
That last one stayed with us longer than the others.
What We Learned
People didn't ask for more features. They asked for more time, more closeness, more ways to show up for the people they love.
Longer videos
“Six seconds is great, but ten would let me capture the full moment.”
Multiple flipbooks
“Can I include two different videos in one letter?”
Custom covers
“I'd love to personalize the outside of the flipbook.”
Subscription options
“I want to send one every month to my grandmother.”
International shipping
“My family is in the Philippines. When can you ship there?”
Every piece of feedback is now on our roadmap. We're building this with you, not just for you.
What We Thought vs. What We Know
We thought we were building a better way to share videos. A novel printing service. A nice gift product.
We were wrong.
What we're actually building is something people have been craving without knowing how to ask for it: physical permanence in a digital world.
“The imperfections made it feel more personal. It wasn't a commercial product—it was a gift from my daughter.”
Polish wasn't the point. Connection was. That's what we're building toward—technology that disappears so the love can be front and center.
What's Next
The holiday promo is over, but Olettra is just getting started.
We've taken everything we learned from these 12 letters and built it into what's now available to everyone. Better print quality. A smoother experience. More ways to personalize.
Create Your LetterIf you've been waiting to try Olettra, now's the time.