Feeling blue? How about getting a “shot of love” from a stranger.
Send your address to Jake Bronstein of Williamsburg, and he’ll send you a love letter free.
The letters are short – a few sentences – and are funny and sweet in a sappy sort of way.
“If you were cold, I would do my best to warm you up,” one says. “If you were sad, I’d do that silly dance you seem to like. If you were broke, I’d give you money. You’re worth it because you’re awesome.”
Bronstein, 30, a marketing consultant, came up with the idea of sending out love letters last month. “People get very depressed this time of year, and it’s nice for them to get a little shot of love from a stranger,” he said.
After dashing off a few, he tried to hand them to people in Union Square, but there were no takers.
Disappointed, he posted an ad on his blog, zoomdoggle.com, offering free handwritten love letters via snail mail. “I was worried no one would want one,” he said.
He was wrong.
By mid-December, he had 1,000 requests. About 10 percent were from overseas – many from Russia, Finland and New Zealand.
A lot of people requested love letters to cheer up friends and family who lost jobs, he said.
“And somewhere in here there’s a request from a J. Aniston in Beverly Hills,” he said. “Who knows?”
The demand poses some unexpected challenges.
Not only do 1,000 love letters require about 200 hours of writing, but international postage is also about four times more than domestic. “I only budgeted $400 for stamps – I didn’t think I’d send letters to Finland,” he said.
So far, Bronstein has written about 200 letters with the help of his girlfriend, Kristina Hoge, 26, also of Williamsburg. But they’re easily distracted, writing each other love letters for every 10 that go to strangers.
But Bronstein vows to finish the 1,000 – even if he and pals have to stay up all night.
“If you do something nice, everyone ends up feeling good – and what better gift is there than love?” he said.
Carrie Rathmann, 36, of Philadelphia couldn’t agree more.
Rathmann requested a letter after feeling frustrated with her job as a director of a nonprofit.
“It cheered me up,” she said.
Her favorite part is: “You’re so funny, (I’m pretty sure) and your hair is so beautiful (what color is it?) I hope we can spend more time together.”
Everyone asks if it’s from her husband, but he’s never written her a love letter. Maybe he’ll get the hint?