I’m not a big fan of the “Christmas Letter.” I’ve never written one, and I suspect that I never will. And why, you ask? I know you want to know.
The first Christmas Letter I ever received was from a girl that I met while in training for my lab technician license (yes, I was a lab technician). We were not what I would call close friends. We were merely classmates. That’s it. So, when, after not speaking or seeing each other for more than 3 years I received a Christmas Letter, I was a little surprised.
The letter was printed on custom paper, with a picture of her perfect family plastered across the top, and went something like this …
“This year has been so wonderful for our perfect little family of five. We moved into our 6000 square-foot home on the lake, right after Bill and I returned from our 21-day European holiday. Laura made captain of the cheerleading squad and Joe finished his mission to feed the children in Africa just in time to start his first year of medical school. Mary, our baby, is still modeling for Sears. Her new line of toddler clothing should be out next year, so stay tuned for that!
Summer went by so fast. Now that Bill has his pilot’s license, we spent every weekend in a new city. With all that jetting around we barely had time to complete the renovations on the beach house. We really hoped to have the runway finished this year, but no such luck.
We’ve opened a wing of our house to the homeless this year. We’re serving hot soup every evening. Four different kinds. Bill and I really enjoy doing this together.
And of course, I’m knitting sweaters for the babies again. Those poor babies without sweaters, what would they do if I skipped a year? …”
I just didn’t get it. The point of the letter. And maybe that being my first experience with “The Christmas Letter,” I was doomed to have this negative reaction whenever someone mentioned that they were writing their own letter.
Since we are all so busy during the year, I suppose that people use the letter as a way of catching up with friends, all in one fell swoop. A year’s worth of events summed up in 600 words. And maybe it sparks a long-overdue phone call to a friend or a visit over the holidays. Maybe that’s it? I might buy into that. Although, a personal phone call would be nicer than a mass-produced copy of a letter sent to friends and acquaintances alike…I’m just sayin’…
Whatever the reason, I don’t think I will ever be a fan. I think that as busy as we are — and we are all busy — if I buy a plane or win the Pulitzer Prize, my friends will know. And those who don’t know, don’t care.
You can read more of Gwen’s writing at A Life Less Ordinary. Gwen Morrison also has a novel published titled Ivy: The Story of a Friendship which can be purchased at our Imperfect Women Bookstore.
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19 Responses to The Christmas Letter
I agree Gwen, most of the people you would want to share something with would most likely know what is going on in your life.
This is an interesting topic for me. I do not do a Christmas letter but I do enjoy most of the ones I receive. My Dad started doing one about 20 years ago when he retired and he has a certain knack of making it short, interesting and hitting the high points of the year. They always include a Christmas poem that he has written that year. He also makes all of his own Christmas Cards with a software program he has on the computer and they are always beautiful. I know he is my Dad, but I still would look forward to it.
That being said, my friend and I have gotten quite a bit of enjoyment over reading and discussing a Christmas letter she receives every year from a relative. It is always full of all kinds of minute by minute, day by day info of what her two highly gifted children are doing. I never knew you could take college classes in Kindergarten. LOL I also was never aware that two adults could work full time and also volunteer what appears to be another 100 hours a week or so to their favorite cause. The whole time attending all of their children’s activities and running 15 miles a day. I am exhausted just reading that letter.
If I were to write a Christmas letter it would probably go like this:
Dear Family and Friends,
We are good. Not much going on. How about you?
Pam
Whatever the reason, I don’t think I will ever be a fan. I think that as busy as we are — and we are all busy — if I buy a plane or win the Pulitzer Prize, my friends will know. And those who don’t know, don’t care.
That is so funny. I have never got a Christmas letter and never sent one. I feel the same way.
Dear Family and Friends,
We are good. Not much going on. How about you?
Pam
Pam, I think my letter would be like that too. I used to do the Christmas letter until I had a 9 month old baby and just decided I didn’t have the great insight to write a witty letter and what do you say about having a new baby?..I’m dealing with puke and poo and little Susie rolled over and I don’t sleep anymore. So my Christmas letter endeavor ended just as quick as I started. I love receiving them but doing…not so much!!!
I am the friend that gets the Christmas Letter every year! I think these relatives send it because they genuinely think that we are interested in every bit of information they share! They are two “type A” personalities that talk about themselves in the 3rd person. They give every detail of their jobs and how wonderful and hardworking they are. They list every friend by name that they have seen over the year and their many activities. All of the sporting events and concerts and bake sales and volunteering! Then there is always some political comment (they are both extremely liberal and think anyone who isn’t is an idiot) and then they start on the kids! Each boy has a section where they list all of their activities and how brilliant they are in school. They are a highly academic family and both boys are “super achievers”. They go on about their sports teams and computer games and at this point I am exhausted!
I know they mean well but enough of the bragging! I don’t care! I have my own life and that is too much information! Let’s be real for a moment, no one is perfect.
This is what I would write:
Hi Everyone,
Things are not great! Our Insurance Business is down by 50% over last year. It took our Son 5 years to graduate from Junior College. He had two jobs in the last few years that made us really proud. One at a Strip Club and the other at a Pot Clinic. Hoping for a better New Year!
Merry Christmas!
I hate those things. I got one a couple of years ago that had a multiple-choice quiz on “Which of these marvelous things did our child accomplish this year?” And, of course, the answer was “all of the above”. That’s great for their kid and all, but I’ve never even met their children. I think only grandparents, and maybe the closer aunts and uncles, are really interested in everything your child does. I’m proud of my own children, but I don’t expect people I haven’t seen in twenty years to be thrilled by their accomplishments.
I enjoy reading others Christmas letters but I don’t think I’ve received one as braggy as those previously mentioned.
I’ve never written one but mine would be a lot like Hollys.
Dear Everyone,
We had a good year. Daughter 1 doesn’t talk at school, Son turned 4 and just started peeing in the toilet, Daughter 2 turned 2 and learned how to hit her siblings and yell “No!” to us and the baby is a champion at explosive pooing. Woohoo. Happy Holidays.
I have never written nor will I ever write a ‘Christmas Letter’ to enclose in our cards, but I don’t mind getting them, especially from people that I only hear from once a year or so, it’s a way to keep up to date with them. But my husband and I have rolled our eyes at some of the ‘perfect family’ ones as was mentioned here. And my husband even wrote one in jest just for close family members to read (I won’t reveal identities, but it included arrests, alcohol, drop-outs, jobless, good-for-nothing loafers, etc.), so while there were many years when our Christmas Letter would be filled with lots of interesting facts, NONE OF IT WOULD HAVE INCLUDED ANY FORM OF PERFECTION!
Too funny Holly and Teresa E.,
)…Sadly, this time of year exacerbates feelings of depression for some…So if my life is perfection…God and I are really the only ones that need to know about it. I like the thought of a Christmas poem, like Pam’s dad writes. That is something from the heart and meant to give good thoughts to those that share it. I try to assume when someone tells me that their 8 yr old has been accepted to Harvard and their family is vacationing in the Swiss Alps, that they mean well, and try to be happy for them….and not get mad at my 15 year old that I still have to remind to put on deodorant:).
I get a couple of Christmas letters each year, and they usually are brag-fests. I don’t know that I would brag( if I had anything to brag about
I’ve got a cousin who sends these out. I want to send my own version out:
“Dear Family, Friends, and my Probation Officer:
Well, this year kind of sucked, what with getting nailed for those Jiffy-Mart robberies—which I totally didn’t do, by the way!—and Dwayne leaving me for the cashier at KFC, on account of the free food. However, at least after seven abortions, I don’t leave any kids behind for Mom to raise—look what a great job she did on me, I’ve documented it here in my tattoos!—–and I’m going to take full advantage of the classes they offer in the pen. Look at the bright side: prison is the one place I won’t get kicked out of!”
Yours,
I am loving these Christmas letters. I hope there are more.
Thank goodness I am not the only one who is annoyed by these “we’re a perfect,overachieving, type A” family holiday newsletters! I hate to admit how much my brother and I anticipate these letters in the mail just so we can read them out loud and laugh. It is one of the few “bonding” experiences we have!
I know these people send them with the best intentions and they are really good people. Every year I say: ” This year I am going to be my “higher self” and just accept them in the spirit that they were sent”. Of course this never happens! I don’t have a “higher self”!
These are funny. We too have joked in our family about making up one of minutae (sp?) and sending to my aunt and uncle. We get “the Florida letter” as we refer to it every December telling about all the wonderful rainforest trips/ safaris/ cruises they went on and how many new bird sightings by uncle has added to his life list. The worst part is, when they visit, we are treated to laptop Powerpoint slide shows with up to 1,000 photos of the trips. AND my uncle will take it to my 93-year-old grandmother’s retirement home and show it there. We are all invited to attend and it looks rude not to, but we have already seen it.
Another family sent one with a photo at the top of objects on a table (seashell, blue ribbon, keychain, etc) and the items were explained in the letter. The seashell was for their summer vacation plans, the keychain for the child who learned to drive, etc.
I guess the letters are entertaining, but agree that if it was that important and we were that close, wouldn’t we already know?
Cincymom- I hate looking at other people’s photos!
Gwen-
I have received these kinds of family newsletters via email but never at Christmas. They do irk me. I don’t know why. Maybe because they do seem so “braggy”. Also in part because these people, whom I never know that well, presume that I want to know everything they did this year……………….
Thanks for these early morning chuckles! We only receive one Christmas letter, from a sister-in-law who until recently has lived so far away we only saw her once a year. Truthfully, we so preferred getting the news by mail instead of the in-person version (much longer and you can’t escape when the person is sitting right across from you)! Somehow she manages to be much more concise in writing than she is verbally.
Cincymom, you get to see it twice? Oh my, you are patient. Merry Christmas! Hope your little ones have a great time.
(much longer and you can’t escape when the person is sitting right across from you)~Mary
LOL, that’s a real good point.
Oh Gwen, I do enjoy reading your stories. But let me tell you, I am guilty of sending out a Christmas Letter or two in previous years. I thought it was a great idea up till now…lol. Maybe I’ll send you a Christmas Letter next year…but with a twist?! I may just change your mind about receiving my letter every year. HO HO HO! LOL LOL LOL!
Kim,
Don’t be swayed from writing your Christmas letter, girl! The “point of the story” was that I really don’t like getting them from people I don’t really have any real connection with. And those are the ones I usually receive! You and I keep up all year, so a wrap-up of your year would be appreciated (and cuz you’re my cuz!). Didn’t mean to send any “scrooge” vibes out there ladies!
Merry Christmas everyone~
Gwen,
No scrooge vibes noted. Great topic and a lot of fun comments.
Gwen,
Absolutely no scrooge detected…only humor!