Valentine’s Day arrived with extra warmth in the Big Apple this year, as a citywide love letter project turned everyday corners of New York into spaces for quiet confession and connection. Heartfelt, heartbreaking, and sensual anonymous love letters take center stage in a New York celebration, reminding residents that romance in the city isn’t only loud or flashy—it’s deeply personal.
Across neighborhoods in New York City, New Yorkers were invited to write anonymous love letters and slip them into bright red mailboxes placed inside local businesses. The initiative, known as the Love Letter Gallery, drew more than 1,000 handwritten notes this year. These letters were addressed not only to partners and lovers, but also to roommates, doormen, old flames, and even the city itself.
A Project Rooted in Emotion and Connection
The Love Letter Gallery was designed to honor love in all its forms—romantic, platonic, nostalgic, and unresolved. Its creator, East Village resident Kelsie Hayes, described the project as a feel-good initiative meant to capture stories of affection, loss, longing, and human connection, all through the intimacy of handwritten words.
Red mailboxes appeared throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, tucked inside coffee shops, boutiques, and neighborhood stores—from SoHo and Nolita to the West Village and Greenpoint—turning routine errands into moments of reflection and vulnerability.
From Mailbox to Gallery Wall
From the hundreds of submissions, 30 standout letters were carefully selected for a one-day exhibition held on February 7 at the HOST gallery in SoHo. The chosen letters ranged in tone: some overflowed with tenderness, while others carried the quiet ache of unspoken love or missed chances.
One letter opened with a confession many could relate to: “I am not brave enough to tell you this in person, so I am doing it here. You mean so much to me.” Another praised a loved one for making life feel lighter simply by existing. One particularly moving note was addressed to the city itself, calling New York “the one I got to love, and who finally loved me back.”
Flowers, Words, and Unspoken Feelings
For the exhibition, Hayes—who also runs POPUPFLORIST—paired each selected letter with a custom floral arrangement inspired by its message. The result was an immersive experience where words and flowers amplified each other’s emotional impact.
Some letters echoed themes from last year’s project as well, including tributes to unrequited love, such as a shy admirer writing to “the most beautiful girl who works in the bookshop.” Another unforgettable entry came from an artist torn between New York and a high school sweetheart living abroad, describing a heart split between two countries.
Love, Unfiltered
In a city often defined by speed and spectacle, the Love Letter Gallery offered something slower and more intimate. Through anonymous notes and shared vulnerability, it reminded New Yorkers that love—whether fulfilled, complicated, or quietly enduring—still thrives in handwritten lines and unspoken truths.
