Holiday

[Mominohio]

Those things were the first form of social media, before we had Facebook and the likes. Now most people are just putting all that stuff out there and trying to convince themselves on a daily basis how wonderful they and their lives are, and don't have to wait till that once a year letter! LOL

I haven't had one of those letters in years. I can't stand them. Never could. 

I wouldn't mind getting a card from an old friend/acquaintance after a long absence with a sentence or two about how they are or what they've been up to, but those bragging letters are to me a real cry for help. They are trying to convince themselves how wonderful their lives (jobs, husband, kids etc.) really are, cause we all know better, that nobody's  life is perfect and the harder you have to 'sell' it in a letter like that, the worse it must be!

[Group 5 minus 1]

We do send a holiday letter to those friends we do not see hardly at all or do not have e-mail. Our older friends enjoy so much receiving those letters.

[CANDLEQUEEN]

I only receive one of those type letters at Christmas. It is from a lady I used to work with years ago, and we are "friends" on Facebook as well. I don't ever see her in person, but her letter is always funny and filled with info on her family, not bragging though, so I generally enjoy reading it...... Last year, she put a bomshell in the last sentence, she has 4 boys and of course they are all grown and married with families of their own, except for her youngest, whose name was Grant and she said Grant who now goes by the name "Tessa" is doing blah, blah, blah.....So he is transitioning...

I don't care for how some people use the opportunity to brag endlessly about their children, or grandchildren.......or even their own lives.......That isn't what the purpose of the letters were intended...  

[threecees]

Every year like clockwork from my husband's sibling and family

we get a photo card thrown in an envelope. On the envelope,

it is addressed to ex. Smith Family, no personal names on the

front of card, ex. To Mr. And Mrs. John Smith and Family.

Inside like I said just a photo card of them and it is not even a

holiday setting. So weird. Nothing personal added like Love,

Carol, Tom and childrens names. So cold.

I send the kids checks at Christmas, usually never get a thank

you. Once I can remember maybe 3 or 4 years ago. Kids are

both under 10 years old.

[homedecor1]

When I get these LONG detailed letters I think of the episode from "Everybody Loves Raymond" when Marie receives a "wonderful" letter from a long lost relative who has the PERFECT life...

then she has to compose her own back...Its a funny episode BUT true!

I enjoy getting Christmas cards and yes, I still go to the store and pick out the perfect one for each distant friend/relative. (The $ store that is now that they have Hallmark).

I only send cards to those I'm still in touch with. 

I do enjoy getting cards with small notes and of course, I save every card my kids, granddaughter, etc. send me -- 

I've been away a few weeks and today I came home to a stack of mail 99% were Christmas cards...yipee!!!

Maybe your "long lost friend" was looking forward to impressing someone else since her "circle of friends" already know ...who cares!

As for me, I wouldn't return a card if I didn't want to renew the friendship (even if its just the annual Christmas card letter)!

Merry Christmas!!!

[Snooky60]

@GingerPeach -your last sentence was hysterical!💗

[Greeneyedlady21]

I actually received one of these before Christmas last year, from a longtime friend of my Mom. Six months after my Mom died and my first Christmas without her. 

She used to send them to my Mom and we would have a good laugh about it. They were always bragging and narcissistic. My Mom knew about truths behind the facade.

Last year's to me had one mention of my Mom, in her "roll call" of people she had lost. And a very brief handwritten note to me. She couldn't take the time to just send me a card and say sympathetic things that were not about herself. It wasn't surprising at all,  but just gross all the same. Some people are completely lacking in self awareness and empathy.

Btw she never even sent me a sympathy card after my Mom died.

[Nataliesgramma]

I got one that beats all.....

We actually got a DVD with my hubby's cousin's cruise to Alaska included with their annual Christmas letter....

We haven't seen them in 20 years and they live in the same town.....

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@Nataliesgramma wrote:

I got one that beats all.....

We actually got a DVD with my hubby's cousin's cruise to Alaska included with their annual Christmas letter....

We haven't seen them in 20 years and they live in the same town.....

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@Nataliesgramma  Yup, you beat them all! 

[ECBG]

A member of my step mother's side, whom I never liked, sent me those things!  After I retired from teaching and got into retail, I just started throwing them away.

She and her husband came here and ate Thanksgiving dinner with us since her daughter was coming.  She had the lack of manners to tell her husband (while we were all at the table) that the meal was "extremely delicious".  I was sitting beside her.  She never said A WORD to me unless I spoke to her first!

People are amazing!