Friendship Books

What are Friendship Books?

Friendship books (also known as “FBs” in their abbreviated form) are small booklets made by stapling paper together or are sometimes just sheets or strips of paper. They are usually decorated, and the person who starts the book writes their name and address as the first person sending the book. Sometimes, the FBs are created for someone else. Aside from the name and address, one can write likes, birthdates, things collected, or what they’re looking for in participating with it. The individual who writes their name, address, interests, etc., inside will then pass it to a friend or pen pal. The book is passed on from one person to another, each adding their own details, and eventually returned to the originator once it’s full.

How did friendship books start?

In 1596, an Augsburg art dealer and diplomat named Philipp Hainhofer traveled to various courts north of the Alps, trading luxury goods and political insights. As he journeyed, Hainhofer gathered clout by building an impressive collection of autographs in his Große Stammbuch, or friendship book.

Common Abbreviations Used in FBs

00 – Married
AA – Answer All
AF – Answer Few
AM – Answer most
AS- Answer Some
AVF – Answer Very Few
BD – Birthday
DOB – Date Of Birth
FB – Friendship Book
FS – Friendship Sheet
GSOH – Good Sense Of Humor
LB – Label Bag
LLP- Long Letter Pal
MTFBWY- May The Force Be With You
NNP – No New Pals
NPW- New Pals Welcome or New Pals Wanted
NSW – New Swappers Welcome or New Swappers Wanted
OS – Overseas
SNNP – Sorry No New Pals
SNNS – Sorry No New Swappers
WA – Wedding Anniversary
WW – Worldwide

How does one create a Friendship Book?

First, you will need to gather a few items to start. You will need a packet of clean blank paper, a stapler, and some nice pens, and ideally, some pictures or stickers to make a cover for the FB. I sometimes print from a design template, and I also use magazine cutouts. You can be as creative as you want to be.

Staple the blank papers or printouts into a small booklet. On the first page, arrange the format like the two examples below:

***********************************

Friendship Book or Friendship Sheet

For (owner’s name and address; few details if available)
By (maker’s name and address; few details)
(At the bottom of the last page) Full? Please return to (owner’s name)

***********************************

Friendship Book or Friendship Sheet

For and by(owner’s name and address; few details)
(At the bottom of the last page) Full? Please return to (owner’s name)

************************************

Once you’re done, you can pass it on to a pen pal. It’s how I found some of my best penfriends from different countries. I hope this info helps you in finding yours.