Whats wrong with Christmas Letters?

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:12 pm

Does anyone here write Christmas letters? If you don't write them, do you receive any? What do you think about them?

I'm just curious as to why people write Christmas letters and if you receive them, why you enjoy it or why you hate it.

I send Christmas letters each year... nothing fancy, just letters to let everyone know what we've been up to in the past year. It sure beats having to write a personal note in every single Christmas card (my hand can't take it). But recently a friend told me that she thinks Christmas letters she receives aren't only stupid but also rude. She feels because they aren't personal that they aren't very heartfelt and would rather people not bother sending them to her if they can't take the time to pen something.

For me, sending the Christmas card is VERY HEARTFELT. I only send them to people I have a HEART for so... :-3

Anyway... just interested to see what others thought about the letters and why.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:13 pm

rainbowsmiles;475931 wrote: Does anyone here write Christmas letters? If you don't write them, do you receive any? What do you think about them?

I'm just curious as to why people write Christmas letters and if you receive them, why you enjoy it or why you hate it.

I send Christmas letters each year... nothing fancy, just letters to let everyone know what we've been up to in the past year. It sure beats having to write a personal note in every single Christmas card (my hand can't take it). But recently a friend told me that she thinks Christmas letters she receives aren't only stupid but also rude. She feels because they are personal that they aren't very heartfelt and would rather people not bother sending them to her if they can't take the time to pen something.

For me, sending the Christmas card is VERY HEARTFELT. I only send them to people I have a HEART for so... :-3

Anyway... just interested to see what others thought about the letters and why.

I think shes rude and should have her bottom spanked with a wooden spoon. Tell her I said that ok ?

ELF · Post by **ELF** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:14 pm

I like Christmas letters....................

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:15 pm

:wah:

Thank you Nomad! And yes... I will tell her you said that. I was shocked that she felt this way. Here, I always thought everyone liked receiving those letters

I always enjoy the ones I get - especially when people get really creative.

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:19 pm

rainbowsmiles;475931 wrote: Does anyone here write Christmas letters? If you don't write them, do you receive any? What do you think about them?

I'm just curious as to why people write Christmas letters and if you receive them, why you enjoy it or why you hate it.

I send Christmas letters each year... nothing fancy, just letters to let everyone know what we've been up to in the past year. It sure beats having to write a personal note in every single Christmas card (my hand can't take it). But recently a friend told me that she thinks Christmas letters she receives aren't only stupid but also rude. She feels because they aren't personal that they aren't very heartfelt and would rather people not bother sending them to her if they can't take the time to pen something.

For me, sending the Christmas card is VERY HEARTFELT. I only send them to people I have a HEART for so... :-3

Anyway... just interested to see what others thought about the letters and why.

I like receiving them, only have one person in the family that does it and not every year. I never heard of anything before she did it about 5 years ago. I thought it was wonderful and enjoyed reading it.

Now that you've posted this, thinking of writing one myself, except it will sound like a pity party....been trying to stay positive...

I don't think Christmas letters are rude or stupid..that's just my opinion...

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:22 pm

WonderWendy3;475946 wrote: I like receiving them, only have one person in the family that does it and not every year. I never heard of anything before she did it about 5 years ago. I thought it was wonderful and enjoyed reading it.

Now that you've posted this, thinking of writing one myself, except it will sound like a pity party....been trying to stay positive...

I don't think Christmas letters are rude or stupid..that's just my opinion...

Its true... it is hard to stay positive. I was just looking up some information on writing unique Christmas letters and I came across this site that said not to write anything negative and to save the sad or negative news for a different time... I feel horrible now because I always tell everything thats happened - I even wrote about dumping my aunts ashes this year :-2

Mustang · Post by **Mustang** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:23 pm

Don't write them, but receive them, from people that we only hear from at Xmas time, no other time of the year.

It depends what the content of the letter is about. The ones we receive, only tell about how lousy the senders year had been, which goes into grave detail and in closing, hoping for a better New Year. If they were more upbeat, we would probably enjoy them more.

My wife enjoys writing personal notes in cards she sends to certain people. She sends out tons of cards because she really enjoys it.

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:26 pm

Mustang;475948 wrote: Don't write them, but receive them, from people that we only hear from at Xmas time, no other time of the year.

It depends what the content of the letter is about. The ones we receive, only tell about how lousy the senders year had been, which goes into grave detail and in closing, hoping for a better New Year. If they were more upbeat, we would probably enjoy them more.

My wife enjoys writing personal notes in cards she sends to certain people. She sends out tons of cards because she really enjoys it.

Thanks Mustang!

Your point on how upbeat a letter should be is definitely taken. I'm going to have to revise mine. It has seriously got me thinking that I've written some not so great stuff and I really didn't mean to do that but YOUR RIGHT... I wouldn't enjoy the letters as much if they were full of bad or sad news. I like hearing the positive.

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:27 pm

rainbowsmiles;475947 wrote: Its true... it is hard to stay positive. I was just looking up some information on writing unique Christmas letters and I came across this site that said not to write anything negative and to save the sad or negative news for a different time... I feel horrible now because I always tell everything thats happened - I even wrote about dumping my aunts ashes this year :-2

Okay, I won't write one....Or will be a short letter :-1

weeder · Post by **weeder** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:34 pm

Ive only had experience with one sender of Christmas Letters.. and for me it is an unpleasant memory. But let me explain. I worked as a gardener for years

for a very very wealthy surgeon and his wife. Not only did they have unlimited disposable income, they were also very happy with each other, and with life in general. During those years, I came to know other employees who worked there also. The maid, the laundress, handymen and others. These people were struggling to survive. The wife used to send out a very elaborate and detailed letter each year. It would include descriptions of fabulous trips they had taken, new homes they were building etc...... The same letter went to family and to the workers as well. I always felt that it was a little self absorbed of the wife not to realize that it was inappropriate to send this letter to people who were struggling to buy cheese. I think she was genuinely such a happy person that she assumed that everyone would be happy to read of their good fortune. I know she wasnt being mean. But anyway my point is I think a standard letter is not always appropriate for everyone on our receiving lists. I think a personal letter designed with the receiver in mind is more fitting.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:10 pm

I look forward to the couple of letters I receive every year - keeps me up to date with their family. I don't write letters - I send cards out and yes its time consuming writing notes in every card - I've done 4 out @ 38 cards we send out.

Merry Merry - I should be working on them now..

Patsy

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:12 pm

Patsy Warnick;475979 wrote: I look forward to the couple of letters I receive every year - keeps me up to date with their family. I don't write letters - I send cards out and yes its time consuming writing notes in every card - I've done 4 out @ 38 cards we send out.

Merry Merry - I should be working on them now..

Patsy

Thats how I feel too Patsy. I like hearing what everyone has been up to. Our family has done the letters for years and they were always well received. Even one year my mother didn't send one out because she wasn't feeling up to it and soon people inquired about where it was. I just like hearing how family and friends are doing and I guess I HOPED they felt the same way about us.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:01 pm

Well...since you asked...

I don't like them. Never have. For several reasons.

Why not drop me a short line during the year and tell me you had a baby, moved, someone died, got sick or hurt, etc instead of telling me alongside everyone else at Cmas?

My cousin is Mormon and the rest of her family is not. Yet we get the Cmas Xeroxed letter that seems to speak only to the Mormon family members. About how they went to Salt Lake and how they're doing blabla in the church this year and how they went to Utah and spent time with family (they never come to see us and we're family) and the new car they bought and the new house and so on and so on.

I find it really impersonal especially as we grew up together. Call me. Send me a postcard. During the year. Don't just think of me only at Cmas.

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:57 am

I always send a Christmas letter in my Christmas cards. I send to family and friends I haven't seen in a year or more. I keep it very upbeat and make light of situations or tell a funny story and I pepper it with christmas jokes or funny jokes I've heard. I also do a slight rewrite on each letter so it is relevant to the person I'm writing to. However, in general the letters go into several pages and its easier to make a few changes to each on the puter rather than rewrite the whole thing by hand many times. (And my writings more legible when it's typed! :wah: )I can also add twee little santa pics and candy canes when I do it on the puter. :wah:

The only thing that bugs me is when people reply with just a card without enclosing any reply or telling me how they've been too. I think it's a nice way to catch up with distant friends and family members.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... D%26sa%3DG

theia · Post by **theia** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:00 am

Rapunzel;476151 wrote: I always send a Christmas letter in my Christmas cards. I send to family and friends I haven't seen in a year or more. I keep it very upbeat and make light of situations or tell a funny story and I pepper it with christmas jokes or funny jokes I've heard. I also do a slight rewrite on each letter so it is relevant to the person I'm writing to. However, in general the letters go into several pages and its easier to make a few changes to each on the puter rather than rewrite the whole thing by hand many times. (And my writings more legible when it's typed! :wah: )I can also add twee little santa pics and candy canes when I do it on the puter. :wah:

The only thing that bugs me is when people reply with just a card without enclosing any reply or telling me how they've been too. I think it's a nice way to catch up with distant friends and family members.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... D%26sa%3DG

That's just it, Rap...you individualise the letters, to a degree, and that makes a huge difference. If exactly the same letter has been sent to everyone, it has little meaning to the recipient...you make yours more personal.

(have you got my address? :wah: )

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:14 am

theia;476169 wrote: That's just it, Rap...you individualise the letters, to a degree, and that makes a huge difference. If exactly the same letter has been sent to everyone, it has little meaning to the recipient...you make yours more personal.

(have you got my address? :wah: )

Yes hunny I do, :-4 and I'm writing my cards out this week. :-6

Don't forget to send me a bit of that book! I have a particularly runny bunny this week and he's very much looking forward to using it! :wah:

theia · Post by **theia** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:19 am

Rapunzel;476171 wrote: Yes hunny I do, :-4 and I'm writing my cards out this week. :-6

Don't forget to send me a bit of that book! I have a particularly runny bunny this week and he's very much looking forward to using it! :wah:

Card and bits of book will definitely be sent off this week, Rap...keep that bunny's tummy runny, please :sneaky: