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We've sent them for years, but this year we're taking a break from it.
For a long time, we'd get a lot back, but for the last few years we've gotten few replies at all. Last year, it was also a way to tell our friends that we had moved and give people our new address, but at the same time we decided that if we didn't get many replies that would be the end. I think we got 3, so that was that.
I'm open to sending them next year, though. I guess it all depends on what my new friends in my new town do. This is a very social, old fashioned small town. I wouldn't be surprised if people here send them, and if they do I'll happily join in.
By the way, I love the letters! To me they were fun to read, and I enjoyed catching up with people I hadn't seen in a long time, and reading about how their lives were progressing. I never understood the people who resented them as "bragging". I saw them more like "reporting". But, to each his own.
For the last several years, I have only sent out 4-5 handwritten cards to my parents, aunt, and a friend or two. The humble-brag holiday letters or impressive cards with pictures and descriptions of their extensive/exotic travels and family's prosperity or talents really took much of the joy and personal connection out of Christmas cards/letters for me, particularly the year my husband was deployed to the Middle East and I was stuck in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. Not one person reached out to me and said "This must be a tough time for you with no family in the area. Know that I am keeping you in my thoughts" or something like that. Like other people have mentioned here, sometimes it may be tough to reach out, but it's those times that a person does when it tells you who is truly a "friend." Unfortunately, it seems like the only reaching out some folks want to do is the type that wins them massive accolades in a public way. Never the quiet, genuine type that reaches an individual in need of a kind word or gesture.
I'm so sorry that people were cold and rude to you. I mean that. Christmas isn't a time for them to brag about what they have and what they've done.
(I've already posted in here but...) some people have mentioned boring newsletters but when I was a kid, there was a family in the neighborhood where the mother was an artist. Every year people would look forward to their family newsletter which would contain little snippets about each of their kids (they were a really nice family) and cute little illustrations. It was a lot of fun to look at and it continued for a few years after they moved away. Sad that they ever moved away.
I send out about 20 cards. I might write a line or two on the card, but I don't send out news letters. I get a few of the news letters. Some people write interesting ones, and some refer to other people that I don't know and are a snooze. Overall I like the news letters, just as long as I am not expected to write one. I think, what with Facebook and email, that fewer people write letters.
When my dog was alive he had his own list. I had picture cards made at Walgreens and he had his own return address stickers. Everyone seemed to love them. People would let me know they received a card from my dog, as if I didn't know. When visiting people I would sometimes see the card on their refrigerator. If I ever get another dog I will do it again.
I cut down old Christmas cards from the previous year and make Christmas postcards out of them and send those out . I would like to think im cutting down on paper waist and at the same time making my friends happy and letting them know im thinking of them . It is so easy to just cut them down and paste or glue them to a plain sheet of white cardstock and draw the address lines and wallah Christmas post cards .
I'm so sorry that people were cold and rude to you. I mean that. Christmas isn't a time for them to brag about what they have and what they've done.
(I've already posted in here but...) some people have mentioned boring newsletters but when I was a kid, there was a family in the neighborhood where the mother was an artist. Every year people would look forward to their family newsletter which would contain little snippets about each of their kids (they were a really nice family) and cute little illustrations. It was a lot of fun to look at and it continued for a few years after they moved away. Sad that they ever moved away.
It is very kind of you to say this, in newengland. Thank you! Your friend's family letter with illustrations sounds pretty and personal/unique. It's nice to get those.
Thinkalot, the Christmas card from your dog clearly delighted your friends. That is a charming idea.
In my earlier post, I described the type of holiday letters but edited it out in case it hit too close to some folks' own letters or family members. But what I mean is the kind of letter that leaves the reader feeling somehow diminished, annoyed, or feeling less joy after reading the news. Perhaps the family took an exotic trip to (fill in the space) and yet they convey absolutely nothing about the places they visited. Listing out sights is one thing, but saying something like "Joe really enjoyed the beautiful sunrises each day at (name)" or "The most unexpected thing we learned about (name) was....". What was it like to be there for you? I am interested in people's travels and what new experiences/perspectives they get during them and don't begrudge them the trip, but it's hard to be interested in the trip if all they have is a laundry list of tourist sites that any google list can provide. If this is a person who took the time to travel there and then write up a letter, surely there is more to say about it? But as an avid reader, perhaps my expectations are too high.
The most tedious letters we get are the rhyming Christmas poems--terrible poetry!-- and the fundamentalist Christian message. We got the latter one year from a neighbor we didn't even know: a fire-and-brimstone, sinners-will-burn message that was in the form of a comic book, of all things. It was both laughable and horrible. Who would hand that out at Christmas, or at any time of year?
*One more type: The request for pledges for <charity or gofundme something> from someone I don't normally correspond with. It's weird to be asked to pledge money for a person's walk-a-thon or something when the person is someone I haven't seen or personally communicated with for years.
Last edited by Fern435; 11-25-2018 at 07:14 AM..
Reason: corrected grammar
We have been sending out cards each year but as mentioned here the numbers we receive continue to get lower each year. We had at one time an all time high of fifty going out 30 plus years ago to 10-15 now.
Times change and society evolves.......Face Book and other social media platforms keep a lot of us up close and personal on a daily basis with family and friends.
I miss the flood of Christmas cards from family and friends that included updates from the past year and those photo's sometimes slipped in, but we live with it. Cell phones have changed so much about the way we record our lives. Christmas cards like photo albums will soon be a rarity in the coming years
Fifteen years ago, received approx 25-30 holiday cards. Two contained 'family letters'. One sincere. One boastful. Having quirky sense of humor which would not startle anyone, began process compiling off the wall subjects as fantasy themes.
Several hours were necessary to edit the rough draft and smooth this into something seasonally hilarious. This enclosure certainly brought results.
Heard from practically everyone. Is this a new tradition? We like it. Are additional ones forthcoming? Realizing I'd created a mess that wasn't anticipated, my ego had a reality check. Mr Grinch eliminated funniness from future Christmas cards!
Last year I did not send them. It made me feel bad. I wished folks Merry Christmas over the Internet, but it just felt wrong. Although I will drastically cut down the number of cards I send, I will send 10-15, to close relatives and old friends. In the old days, I’d send 60 or so.
No. There are just so many ways to reach people now, it just doesn't make sense for us anymore.
I know I get a card, read it, put it on the mantle, then chuck it after Christmas. Same cycle every year. And I find an old Christmas card has very little sentimental value. Letters are so much better.
Instead of traditional cards, I'll give some $5 Starbucks gift cards. People seem to enjoy those.
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Your friend's family letter with illustrations sounds pretty and personal/unique. It's nice to get those.
But as an avid reader, perhaps my expectations are too high. 
It was both laughable and horrible. Who would hand that out at Christmas, or at any time of year?
