I have a love/hate relationship with holiday newsletters. I love writing them, but I loathe copying them off, addressing the envelopes, and mailing them (to be perfectly honest, I still have some from last year that I haven't mailed yet -- sorry!).
Also, it seems that I'm sending these newsletters full of "fascinating" tidbits about my family's life to people who are either very much aware of what we've been up to all year or people who really could care less. So what's the point?
I have people that I send newsletters to only because they send me newsletters. Are they only sending me newsletters because I send them newsletters? It's a vicious cycle.
Also, what's the shelf-life on newsletters? Am I supposed to keep these things forever? What about the holiday photos? Keep the ones from family and throw away the others?
Rena got fed up with the stress of getting the "perfect" family photo, so last year she sent one that actually looks like her family (kids with eyes closed, looking in the wrong direction, and/or picking noses). Now that's a photo I'm going to keep!
I'm not a total Grinch. Some newsletters are great. I love Ben's "Holiday Holler" just because of the title -- I even disregard my newsletter/resume rule for it (if it's more than one page long, I don't read it). M-A's newsletters are always hilarious (and my last few have been copies of her style -- I hope she considers it flattery). I always look forward to my mother's newsletter to see how little she writes about me (She'll write three or four paragraphs on Lorna and I'll get something like, "Lois is still alive").
The best Christmas newsletter of all time was one that I received from my friend's mother. She fancies herself a poet and one year she wrote about finding a dead body in the dumpster behind her home -- all in iambic pentameter.
I was all for boycotting a newsletter this year and I almost had Nigel talked into it, but then Geo's husband brought over a huge box of art paper, including some in the loveliest shade of green which Nigel is now enamored with. He says that HE will do the Christmas newsletter. Now, if I can just find a dead body...
9 comments:
You've got me laughing. Thanks.
I do hear ya. I haven't sent out Christmas letters for the past few years(or even cards for that matter). I'm not necessarily a grinch--maybe a slacker? Call me a "slinch". I would totally have those letters still tucked away that I never got around to sending. So I just stick my head in the snow and hope that my loved ones don't feel bad.
I do read the Christmas letters sent, and admire the creativity of some, and appreciate the time it took to put it all together...and then feel a tinge of guilt when I throw away the beautiful family photos after the holidays.
And I would so totally be letting my husband send out Christmas letters if he offered to do so...and loving him for it!
Oh, and I like the new festive look. Great color!
I gave up Christmas newsletters for lent.
AM'N2DEEP -- love "slinch." Glad there's others out there that feel the way I do. Glad you like the new look!
CW -- I laughed so hard at this that milk almost came out of my nose. I'm definitely giving them up for lent next year.
I think I will go through serious withdrawals if we DON'T get a newsletter from your house. They have an unusually long shelf-life, as in, I can NOT throw them away. You are the masters.
This year we're sending out the cards we printed two years ago that never got written. With extra postage to go with our old Christmas stamps, of course.
GEO -- I'll look forward to your card! We'll see if Nigel actually does a Christmas newsletter. Since it's a nice shade of green, maybe they'll be St. Patrick's Day cards. Hey, we can start a new tradition!
Can I have one of your newsletters? Given the fun and creativity of your blog, I would image many people spend the whole year looking forward to your letter.
That said, maybe you could just post your letter on your blog. Then you could mail a little paper (on the new green maybe) with the URL. Now that's clever!
And if that funny compulsive writer gave up newsletters for Lent does that mean she normally sends the newsletters out late? I don't mean to criticize, just curious.
Also as an aside (sorry to bombard your post, but I just had to), I looked up when Lent starts and I found a site that said:
"Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, the day after Pancake Sunday, and six and half weeks before Easter Day." I like pancakes. Maybe Lent isn't such a bad idea.
RABIDRUNNER -- love the idea of putting the Christmas newsletter on my blog and sending out the URL. You are a super genius!
I've never heard of pancake Sunday. Every Sunday seems to be pancake Sunday at our house. Sign me up!
I struggle with Christmas letters too. I think they are often an overdone, lengthy brag list. UGH.
Perhaps I should make up stuff for ours this year, or say something real like...
Oldest child can never remember to practice instrument, thus compromising her promising musical future. She does practice spreading the toes on her hand-feet though, so she's got a good chance at the circus.
and so on with the younger two....
RYNELL -- I agree with you. There's only so much bragging I can handle. That's why I stole M-A's idea and I just write about the dumb stuff my kids do (like getting their arm stuck in the vending machine at the auto mechanic or covering their heads with Cheez Wheez and crawling in bed with me). That newsletter got a lot of accolades! I think EVERYONE is sick of the brag fests.
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