Those bragging Christmas letters

[OutinChgoburbs]

Can I use this one next year? .

Feel free. You may also use it as a starting point, and add your own random situations. If you need any assistance come November or so, I’ll even lend you DH via email. His “letter” was much worse.

 

[mike14620]

I don’t get it - if you hate these things so much, why do you bother to read them at all? Why read something that irritates you? For that matter, if someone’s letter annoys you year after year, just throw it out without opening it. Don’t do unnecessary things that irritate you.

My family includes a Christmas letter with the card each year. I like hearing what others are doing as well. I’m sure some people think ours is a little of “how great out lives are.” We take some pretty interesting vacations, and the picture on the card is always of us from our big trip of the year. Many people ask us what will be on the card this year and like hearing stories from the trips as well.

Maybe instead of writing what we are thankful for at this time of the year, we should include things about how my parents lost 1/4 of their retirement money this year in the stock market or about college rejection letters or about that slip my brother had in a hotel shower that sent him to the ER.

To me, I like hearing about how my friends are doing well. I think some people don’t like hearing about how well others are doing because it makes them feel miserable about their own lives, and would rather other people were miserable like them. Misery likes company, but I refuse to be miserable.

 

[BamaRider]

I don’t get it - if you hate these things so much, why do you bother to read them at all? Why read something that irritates you? For that matter, if someone’s letter annoys you year after year, just throw it out without opening it. Don’t do unnecessary things that irritate you.

Well, I open it on the outside chance they saw the light, and sending me a card asking how* I am*, and wishing me a Merry Christmas, instead of weather report.

My family includes a Christmas letter with the card each year. I like hearing what others are doing as well. I’m sure some people think ours is a little of “how great out lives are.” We take some pretty interesting vacations, and the picture on the card is always of us from our big trip of the year. Many people ask us what will be on the card this year and like hearing stories from the trips as well.

So do y’all break out the home movies when they come visit? LOL.

Maybe instead of writing what we are thankful for at this time of the year, we should include things about how my parents lost 1/4 of their retirement money this year in the stock market or about college rejection letters or about that slip my brother had in a hotel shower that sent him to the ER.

To me, I like hearing about how my friends are doing well. I think some people don’t like hearing about how well others are doing because it makes them feel miserable about their own lives, and would rather other people were miserable like them. Misery likes company, but I refuse to be miserable.

See this is where you miss the point. I like it when my friends do well. Thanks to my motorcycles, and lots of free time, folks prolly can’t send me pictures or notes about where they been I ain’t already been. So that ain’t gonna bother me. But I have some friends that not as fortunate as me, they are not miserable, but I’d feel odd sending them pictures of me living it up on a cross country motorcycle ride, or at the beach, while they are trying to figure out how to pay this months mortgage. And in this day and time, you never know who on the list that is having a bad year. I’m just not gonna do it, but to each his own.

It goes back to the kids that can’t play, if he’s good, you don’t have to tell me I already know it. If my friends are doing well I already know it, and they wouldn’t think of sending me a chain letter.

When I send a card to my friends and family each one gets a different hand written note, asking how they are doing, and I’m thinking of them this holiday season. Try it and see what happens next year.

But lemme ask ya this-

Have you ever learned something in a chain letter about a friend you didn’t already know? Or do ya think they thought you just needed to be reminded?

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

When I send a card to my friends and family each one gets a different hand written note, asking how they are doing, and I’m thinking of them this holiday season. Try it and see what happens next year.

But lemme ask ya this-

Have you ever learned something in a chain letter about a friend you didn’t already know? Or do ya think they thought you just needed to be reminded?

:clapping: :clapping:

 

[petitfleur]

We have a friend (sorta) more of a work associate of DH who we had dinner with once, who sends these letters she always includes some sort of political Bush bashing remarks, this year a celabration of the stupid Republicans leaving office. She really said stupid******* Republicians!!! I find it quite offensive especially in a holiday letter.
Some updates are nice but some come off so obnoxiouse.
Dr. Ray makes up the funniest ones and posts them on his website.

 

[Jennifer_J]

We live far from family and friends. I started including “update” letters several years ago. Everyone says they are glad to get them (I ask to make sure they aren’t braggy or annoying). I go to great lengths to make sure they are just updates…so and so is playing clarinet, is such and such age, in grade whatever…It’s one way I forge a bond with family and friends we only see once a year. Do we keep up in other ways throughout the year, certainly, but this is a nice way to sum up our year. My cards are also “home made”, I have the kids draw a Christmas (religious) scene, I scan them and then print up the cards with religious text included . I don’t do a great deal of personalization, because just putting the things together takes me over a week. However, as I address each card–by hand–I pray for each family.
I think if you get letters/cards you don’t like, pray for that person/family and get on with your life. We have this SAME conversation every year and it makes me shake my head. So, people are clueless so people are rude That doesn’t suddenly change at Christmas…

 

[Brenda_V]

But lemme ask ya this-

Have you ever learned something in a chain letter about a friend you didn’t already know? Or do ya think they thought you just needed to be reminded?

Actually, yes, we have some friends with whom we don’t keep really close contact with who live clear across the nation from us and it was nice to hear how the children were doing as they were growing up. We don’t get those letters anymore because their children like ours are grown up.

Now as for our local friends, no we don’t share those letters with each other. We even save ourselves a stamp and the cost of a card by wishing each other a Merry Christmas in person.

Oh, and it isn’t a chain letter, it is a photo copied letter. A chain letter would “require” us to make X copies and send it to X number of people.

So maybe the difference is our friends didn’t write letters to brag about their lives but to share with us little snippets of their lives and when they live far, far away that is all you get when you might call - remember our family and our friends’s families were growing up way before the internet and the inexpensive communication of the internet! The only forms of communication were snail mail and very expensive long distance phone calls that were generally reserved for calling family and emergencies!

Brenda V.

 

[SwizzleStick]

I love getting Christmas newsletters, but maybe because I’ve never received a bragging one. I like to read a bit more than just a signature when I get a Christmas card and like to hear the news about folks and their families. One year I did receive a two-page one from a cousin that was a bit of a bore because it was so long and detailed, but I just skimmed it and didn’t get upset about it or anything. I’ve sent one out myself every year for the past ten or so years. By the time we mention the activities the kids are involved in and add a few sentences about hubby and me and add a couple of pictures, it is finished. I don’t add anything to be braggy, though I guess some might take it that way, but I just share news, both good and bad. The year we had a miscarriage, I mentioned that and how awful it was because it was what had happened in our lives, so it was mentioned along with the good news, like when two of our kids were accepted into the gifted program at school. It is just sharing news and I find it odd that some would be offended by it and not like it.

 

[SwizzleStick]

We live far from family and friends. I started including “update” letters several years ago. Everyone says they are glad to get them (I ask to make sure they aren’t braggy or annoying). I go to great lengths to make sure they are just updates…so and so is playing clarinet, is such and such age, in grade whatever…It’s one way I forge a bond with family and friends we only see once a year. Do we keep up in other ways throughout the year, certainly, but this is a nice way to sum up our year. …

Actually, yes, we have some friends with whom we don’t keep really close contact with who live clear across the nation from us and it was nice to hear how the children were doing as they were growing up. …

Now as for our local friends, no we don’t share those letters with each other. We even save ourselves a stamp and the cost of a card by wishing each other a Merry Christmas in person. …

So maybe the difference is our friends didn’t write letters to brag about their lives but to share with us little snippets of their lives and when they live far, far away that is all you get when you might call …

Exactly!

The people we actually see regularly don’t get the newsletter (except for sibs and parents who expect one, who mention it if we don’t send one, so we just do now even though we see them). I’ve had folks send cards and mention our newsletter saying they really look forward to getting it each year.

 

[Sina]

I agree with both sides. Sometimes the letters are pure bragging, and sometimes they are more well rounded.

My parents send out these kinds of letters and they went on a lot of trips around the world this year partially for my dad’s work. They didn’t want to sound like they were bragging either so my mother carefully chose her language when we wrote it up and only wrote a little bit of each topic.

I think a lot of people are aware that it sounds like bragging when they make these letters. Some aren’t.

I do remember one year I got one from a real bragger and I had to laugh. I was in university at the time and took part in Model United Nations and Model Parliament and things like that. It really wasn’t that big of a deal and certainly not something I would put in my christmas card. This girl got to be the Speaker of the House for a high school model parliament and so she was bragging on and on in her christmas letter. I had to laugh as I though, so what? But that was also mean spirited of me I guess.

In all, I love those letters. I like to know what people are doing and their families, even when I don’t really know them.

 

[tapiocapudding]

My parents and their friends always do this. I’ve found how much the ‘dear friends’ letter annoys me depends on the family. Some are actually amusing and self deprecating. Others are terribly pretentious. My Mom always used to send one and it was always pretty annoying. Last year she had to incorporate my unplanned pregnancy. “Jenni, what’s another way to say unplanned pregnancy? You know, something that makes it sound nicer?” Every year my Mom would constantly badger me for synonyms so her letter would sound ‘classier’.
well my parents are getting divorced this year so there’s no letter and I can’t say I’m too sorry about the lack of letter! (Although I am very sad about the divorce)

 

[SeekerJen]

Phemie:

This year was very different from all the other years. They transferred us to Moncton so we decided to move there. I drove my truck out here. Sometimes I had to stop for gas. In Ontario I saw lots of things. It was fun. We bought a house. It’s a good place to put all our stuff. Moncton is a nice place. There are lots of places to play golf. I hate golf. One day I sat on the patio. DW made sandwiches. It was fun. In October we went to a store. I bought new socks and DW looked at sweaters. It was fun. My new job is fun. I wear a uniform and do police stuff. Sometimes the dog loses his fur and we have to pick it up. It’s gross. There is a big church close to our house. On Sundays, lots of people go there. Some drive their cars and some just walk. I looks like fun. We went to a wine show. There were lots of kinds but only two colors. It was fun. DW and me are older than last year. There is lots of snow outside. There is no snow on my stuff. I’m glad we bough a house.

Oh Phemie, this is priceless. Your brother has me laughing out loud over here.

We haven’t noticed as many of the mass-produced Christmas letters lately. A couple of our friends included lovely hand-written notes in their cards, and others included photos of their kids. I love receiving both. The mass-produced letters always seem a bit impersonal and some of them (not all- depends on the tone) do seem to brag.

 

[SeekerJen]

The older I get, the more I appreciate a card that reads:

“Same old, same old. We are all fine. Have a Merry Christmas.”

Although I have been known to make up a thing or two in my “letter” to people who send braggy ones, such as the year I said one to the effect of:

"Things are well with our clan. We just got 4 new foster kids, strictly for the cash, of course. We feed them when the mood strikes us. Sleeping arrangments were no problem. Isn’t it wonderful what one can do with sleeping bags? The eldest girls is becoming a real whiz in the kitchen, so we keep her home from school. It’s like being paid to have a household staff! What luck!

"Junior was allowed out on probation from his last opportunity at Statesville. However, turning around and executing a liquor store robbery on his second day out was just too much for his probation officer. What a scamp that Junior is! He’s back at Statesville, in the License Plate division. This time, he was placed in a cell with only one other inmate. Promotion!

"Mimsie was named National Exotic Dancer of the Year by the Exotic Dancers Union. This is particularly marvelous, given her stretch marks from the last grandchild.

"DH is taking all the family changes in stride. He’s working sometimes 132 hours a week, just to keep himself busy and out of the house.

“Well, that wraps up what’s been going on in the past year. If you really want to know what goes on in our home, pick up a phone and call us. If you’ve lost our phone number, it’s ###-###-####. Perhaps you could even stop by next time you’re in town.”

 

[bluerose]

I guess what bugs me the most is getting a letter from a close relative or friend that begins with “Dear Family” or “Dear Friend”. In this age of advanced computer technology, you’d think they’d at least take the time to change the salutation in every letter to make it a little more personal before printing it out… it’s not as if it would take even half the time of hand-writing 20 Christmas cards.

I’ll even settle for “Dear _______” and my name hand-written in the blank.

 

[Phemie]

Oh Phemie, this is priceless. Your brother has me laughing out loud over here.

We haven’t noticed as many of the mass-produced Christmas letters lately. A couple of our friends included lovely hand-written notes in their cards, and others included photos of their kids. I love receiving both. The mass-produced letters always seem a bit impersonal and some of them (not all- depends on the tone) do seem to brag.

A few of the girls I went to nursing school with send them and I’m always happy to catch up with their lives in this way. We are only in touch at Christmas so it’s a whole year of catching up and along with the newsletter there is usually a handwritten note to us personally inquiring about things in our lives.

I haven’t sent one of these since my life has become so disorganized that I’ll be almost ready for Christmas '08 when the Easter Vigil rolls around.

 

[HouseArrest]

A few of the girls I went to nursing school with send them and I’m always happy to catch up with their lives in this way. We are only in touch at Christmas so it’s a whole year of catching up and along with the newsletter there is usually a handwritten note to us personally inquiring about things in our lives.

I haven’t sent one of these since my life has become so disorganized that I’ll be almost ready for Christmas '08 when the Easter Vigil rolls around.

I hear ya! I just sent out our Christmas cards today. I always send a picture of the kids and used to include a handwritten “Merry Christmas” on it and wrote a little more to people we don’t see, but have dumbed it down to just a picture postcard! The original reason for that was the stamps were a lot less expensive - then for people I wanted to write something to I would put the postcard in an envelope and include a note but I have not been able to get it together these past few years to even do that.

Anyway, I love the newsletter type cards. Most of the ones we get are really funny. I look forward to getting them.

 

[BamaRider]

Well look, all y’all that like newsletters (and I think in the realm of things are a minority) send me a PM, and we’ll set up time to so y’all can watch my home movies. HAhaha!

My mon and dad had some friends that whenever they invited us over for supper, they’d break out the slide show (it was the 60s) of their last vacation.

They went to NYC one summer and had a bigtime slide show of that.

“This is at the Statue of Liberty, this is us at the Empire State Building, this is us in Times Square, This is us on the ferry, this is at Rockerfeller Center…” Then my dad, no kidding, got up and headed for the door, and the man said, “Hey where ya goin?” “This is me leaving.” Man I like to fell outta the chair.

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

We haven’t had any newsletter-type Christmas messages this year, but I did read a funny piece by Garrison Keillor (aka Lake Woebegon guy) about this, in Caroline Kennedy’s Christmas anthology. One line that cracked me up was something about putting a positive slant to a kid causing the usual teenaged trouble at school and blaring loud music, something like, “Tom is adjusting to a new school year and is developing into his own person; his tastes in music keep the house lively.”

 

[Phemie]

I hear ya! I just sent out our Christmas cards today. I always send a picture of the kids and used to include a handwritten “Merry Christmas” on it and wrote a little more to people we don’t see, but have dumbed it down to just a picture postcard! The original reason for that was the stamps were a lot less expensive - then for people I wanted to write something to I would put the postcard in an envelope and include a note but I have not been able to get it together these past few years to even do that.

Anyway, I love the newsletter type cards. Most of the ones we get are really funny. I look forward to getting them.

This year we were alone for Christmas and I knew we’d be spending it at friends’ house so didn’t fret much about getting the house ready. We’re only doing our “Christmas” dinner tomorrow night so I have the rest of the day to get the house ready. It should be ok by the time they all arrive around 4 p.m.

 

[Jennifer_J]

Well look, all y’all that like newsletters (and I think in the realm of things are a minority) send me a PM, and we’ll set up time to so y’all can watch my home movies. HAhaha!

My mon and dad had some friends that whenever they invited us over for supper, they’d break out the slide show (it was the 60s) of their last vacation.

They went to NYC one summer and had a bigtime slide show of that.

“This is at the Statue of Liberty, this is us at the Empire State Building, this is us in Times Square, This is us on the ferry, this is at Rockerfeller Center…” Then my dad, no kidding, got up and headed for the door, and the man said, “Hey where ya goin?” “This is me leaving.” Man I like to fell outta the chair.

I really don’t think we are a minority and I’d LOVE to see your old home movies, I’ll bet they are a riot. BTW, is there an update to THE RING story? I’ll have to go hunt up that thread now