Ah, FBs. In the age of Internet and txt communication, do they still exist? I don't know, but I haven't seen one for years. But, in case they don't, I've made this page to immortalise the stupidity of their culture. Or, if you've been puzzling for years about what SNNP means, here's your answer.

==: Symbols which contained the age of the signer. (i.e. =16=). However, enclosing this detail with a pair of stars was fairly common, and continental Europeans tended to write their year of birth instead. Much more sensible, considering FBs tended to drift through the cosmos for several years, only sometimes they missed off the first two digits, leaving you to wonder they were 81 or mere teenagers.

A/A: Answer all, as in "I'll answer all letters I'm sent." Similarly, A/M is Answer Most and A/S is Answer Some.

Bi: By. As in, the person who made the FB. Why abbreviate a two letter word with another two letter word, I have yet to fathom. I always wrote it out in full; others made dodgy remarks over it.

Chains: Chain letters. Usually in "no chains".

Chat: Typically the last page(s) / section of an FB or FS. Here, people left messages to the person who they'd sent it to (usually, "You're a great pal, don't stop writing") or to the person who'd end up with it (usually, "Write to me if you like".)

Cram: A very small FB or FS (more usual), where you have to write very small, or use address labels in order to fit a decent number of addresses on.

FB: Friendship Book. A small booklet in which people write their addresses and a few personal details. The idea is that people write letters to people listed, hence making new penpals. They can also be used to ask for additions to collections or to advertise penpal magazines and other services. When an FB is full, the final person to write in it returns it to the first address listed.

4: For. As in, the person the FB is to be returned to.

FS: Friendship Sheet. Same as an FB, only in sheet form rather than a booklet.

Gaz, Howard, Jason, Mark, Robbie/Rob/Bob: Members of the boyband Take That, phenomenally popular in the mid nineties among the penpalling community, especially in Germany. People had a tendancy to sign their names "Dawn n Rob" or "Mel n Mark" (except the second stroke of the 'n' was actually a miniature pair of T's), which made you feel vaguely silly, addressing letters to celebrities who didn't live at the various addresses.

L/L: Long Letter. LLP is "Long Letter Pal", someone who only writes long letters.

M/F: Person is not sure what gender they are. Or, more likely, will write to either gender.

Passin' thru: What you wrote if you didn't want to sign an FB, but didn't want anyone to send it to you again. This generally occurred if you didn't want any penpals, or your address would be last and you couldn't be bothered to return it to the creator.

Slam: Like an FB, only with a series of questions for everyone signing it to answer. Great fun.

SNNP: Sorry No New Pals. Usually written by people signing FBs for some other reason (i.e. asking for a certain item, advertising a service). Others just seemed to enjoy writing out their addresses.

Swapper / Swopper: Someone who you don't actually write letters to, but send mail to nevertheless. Usually envelopes were filled with FB, but stationery, stickers, posters, postcards, stamps and ever furniture(!) were exchanged.

T/C: Take Care

W/S: Write Soon