A card miraculously arrived at the right house despite bearing the address "somewhere at top of town".
Tracey Fitzharris, 43, shared a photo of the envelope sent by a friend living hundreds of miles away in Scotland.
The full address reads: "Somewhere at top of town, St Ives, Cornwall".
On the rear of the envelope the unnamed friend had added: "big love to the postie X".
Tracey, who underwent spinal surgery last week, said: "...because she knew I wasn't great she decided to send me a card and literally thought 'bugger it' and sent it without an address.
"Anyway it arrived yesterday and it made me smile, she was amazed it actually arrived."
Tracey's spine op, which had been delayed by Covid, took place last week at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon.
Before undergoing surgery - two days before her birthday - she spoke to a friend living 650 miles away in Duror, Scotland.
Tracey said: "Just before Christmas my friend moved to Duror.
"So I got her new address and sent her a Christmas card. She rang me up and said she felt bad because she hadn't sent any and could I send my address.
"I laughed and said no, I didn't need a card and FaceTime and wine is much better and our only option nowadays."
However, Tracey's friend refused to be beaten - prompting her to send the "top of town" card, which arrived on Thursday.
She added: "We spent some time laughing about it on the phone...
"She didn't tell me she sent it in case it didn't arrive. I'm glad she put a stamp on it."
