Holiday

[jannabelle1]

Good timing! I just received my annual Christmas Letter from my 70 year old cousin....nothing new (same as every year). It's always an update on her grandchildren (I've never met them or their parents), her twice annual vacation with her brother (she's divorced and he's single), and her participation for the year in church activities and volunteerism. This year she also included a photo of her 11 grandchildren - just a photo - no names or indication of which of her 4 children they belonged to.

I used to send her a Christmas card and thank her for her "letter"....this year I'll send her a card. I'm not a fan of "those holiday letters"!

[on the bay]

@Spurt -

LOL! that is funny.

A friend of mine who has a great sense of humor one year read me her version of "the holiday letter."

She wrote about the worst things she could think of and went on and on.

It was all fiction but I could not stop laughing. That was a gift in itself

[SunValley]

I found some of my parent’s Christmas letters sent in the 60s. I did not even recognize that fictional family! When I was in high school I told them to delete the paragraph on me because it was so far fetched and embarrassing (“Our little girl is now a lovely young lady and an accomplished musician.”) Yuck! I was a gawky mess and couldn’t find middle C. Of course mom said that it wouldn’t work to just drop me from the family letter, so I wrote two sentences that divulged nothing and that was the compromise. 

The worst Christmas letter I ever received was basically the message that I (and apparently other select friends/family) was on the path to Hades and was already hurling there full speed in a basket. But my friend could put me straight before I was in flames. It was so flabbergasting that I didn’t know whether to be infuriated or entertained.

[speedy girl]

I really don't mind the letters, even if they are bragging at least I know what is going on in their life. I'd rather have that then just simply signing the card and not saying anything at all. 

[AuntG]

I rather like the letters and try not to read too much into them (like asking myself if all their purchases put them in debt). I do agree a DVD of their vacation might not get played anytime soon. As far as a gratitude journal, not a problem. If it works for her, fine.

[lovesrecess]

We get a “My family is fabulous” Christmas letter every year from a former coworker of DH. It is so obnoxious it is funny. We actually look forward to it now. We haven’t sent a card to them ever...I think he has an assistant in his office who handles all the mailing of these letters and he doesn’t do anything other than dictate it. This year’s came two days after Thanksgiving....shows his two boys with their caps and gowns on since they will be graduating in spring ( hint for a gift) and their wish list is in the letter....also how successful, beautiful, and popular his wife is. She basically supports the family a d works two jobs as he rarely has a job. The letter is three pages long this year. It seems impossible that anyone could get the number of accolades, awards, recognitions, and job promotions in one year as these two do. He is now only doing “volunteer” work.  Translation: unemployed again. The letter also includes that they are remodeling their home and lists the new colors for each room in case anyone would like to send something to celebrate their fresh new look. Please don’t send letters like this! I don’t think we will be sending any gifts...I can’t believe his kids haven’t told him how mortified they must be!

[lovesrecess]

My husband’s sister and her husband send a card every year with their names and return address printed on the card and our address printed also. I wonder if they ever saw the card.

[IamMrsG]

We used to get an annual letter from a man with truly terrible penmanship. The content was dull as dishwater, but  I enjoyed trying to decipher it, like solving a challenging puzzle.  In the last few years, though, he has started typing them.  The thrill is gone. 

[Group 5 minus 1]

I just remembered something about the letters. Daddy would send letters to his Army buddies.He was in WW2 and they enjoyed hearing from each other.