Christmas newsletter fun

[Tabris]

Last year, for the first time ever, we sent a Christmas newsletter. Someone on the old forum had started a thread about how not to write a boring newsletter, so in preparation for writing ours, I read the whole thing (like 200 posts!) and then sat down to write.

We made it funny, brag-free, and very snarky. Had a great time doing it. Kept it to one page, pictures on the back. Printed it and sent it.

We got *compliments* on the silly thing! People would actually phone us to tell us they liked the newsletter. It was wild, but we figured they were just blowing smoke.

This year, two newsletters already have copied our snarky, brag-free tone from last year's newsletter. And yes, both people were people who called and said they loved ours last year.

I told LittleTabris1, "That's what they mean by the sincerest form of flattery."

BTW, one of the posts on the other group said that in the writer's family, they preserve every Christmas newsletter, unopened, until Christmas Eve, when the family sits around the tree, breaks out the alcohol, and starts reading the letters out loud to everyone while everyone gets loaded. As the night goes on, the letters get funnier and funnier. I've repeated that story to many people, but more importantly, I have taken it to heart while writing our newsletter. I want it to be funny loaded or not loaded.

[ehellion]

Sounds like you've started a new (and fun) trend in your family.

[Suze]

one page -- I wish some of our family could limit it to one page.(sigh)  last year we got a 3 page, single spaced, both sides of the paper "newsletter?"  

I use that term loosely because I think that they kept a chart of who stubbed their toe when so that they could write it in the newsletter.

One page was nothing about redecorating ONE room of their house.  Another page was all the "downer" news that they had gotten that year.  Hello, they were family, we already knew that news, don't need a replay TYVM

[mumma to KMC]

I wish I could receive your Christmas letter...

I have an Aunt (married to my dad's brother) who loves to send those. The only thing is she fills it with information about her family (this is the second marriage for both of them) and my uncle is given one line. The blurb about him is pretty much "Name is still at same job, same title, working x shift now."

Other then that it is a whole page written about her job then her grandchildren. This years letter was sort of a "card" folded in half and on the front were her grandchildren. I looked at my dh and said "Who the heck are they?" Then I opened it. Blah blah blah. Got it home and tossed it. I called my sister (she still lives at home) and asked her if they got one. She said "Yep and we tossed it." My dad had the honour of doing that.

I am glad she is very excited about her family, but we have NEVER met them so sending us a newsletter about her family is really wasted on her dh's side of the family.

[freakyfemme]

I hate Christmas newsletters.  The whole premise is, "We're too busy to maintain a REAL relationship with you, but hey, you're good enough to serve as an audience for our annual bragging about our perfect family!!!"  The way I see it, either send proper Christmas cards, to people you're *actually* close with, or don't bother.  The upside of that tactic is, it'd shrink a *lot* of people's card lists down pretty small.

[Tabris]

But that's why I didn't send you one, Freaky.

[mumma to KMC]

I hate Christmas newsletters.  The whole premise is, "We're too busy to maintain a REAL relationship with you, but hey, you're good enough to serve as an audience for our annual bragging about our perfect family!!!"  The way I see it, either send proper Christmas cards, to people you're *actually* close with, or don't bother.  The upside of that tactic is, it'd shrink a *lot* of people's card lists down pretty small.

We actually got one from our newlywed friends and it began "I have to admit I LOVE writting Christmas Letters." (me:snicker) "It is a great way to keep in touch with people that we might otherwise lose contact with." (me: I sit behind you at Church quite a bit, you could turn around and say "Hi" then!)

You would be proud of me...we sent out 25 Christmas Cards this year. I hand wrote a personal message in most of them. (Dh took the one to his Grandma and his sibblings.)

[ehellion]

But that's why I didn't send you one, Freaky.

LOL! You can send me one. I could send me one. I could use some fun snarkiness, hehe.

[Tabris]

There are daily portion-sized doses of Tabris snarkiness on this forum, thankfully.

The newsletter has a paragraph about each family member, led off by a quote from that person. My husband's is "I've figure out the appropriate formula: two pounds of snack food per person per hour we'll be in the car."  That's pretty much the tone of the whole newsletter right there. The header is "The Tabris Family Newsletter Extravaganza" (and my husband wanted to put "Christmasfestorama" as well, but it wouldn't fit.)

[freakyfemme]

But that's why I didn't send you one, Freaky.

You didn't need to, we talk on the boards, lol.

[Adah]

I hate Christmas newsletters.  The whole premise is, "We're too busy to maintain a REAL relationship with you, but hey, you're good enough to serve as an audience for our annual bragging about our perfect family!!!"  The way I see it, either send proper Christmas cards, to people you're *actually* close with, or don't bother.  The upside of that tactic is, it'd shrink a *lot* of people's card lists down pretty small.

I LOVE Christmas newsletters, especially the ones from people I've know for many years who live far away and who I never get to see. I don't ever think they send them because they don't want to maintain a real relationship with me. On the contrary, these are people from various stages in my life who were I adored when we lived close together and who I still want to keep in touch with. I think they send them because they still DO want to maintain a relationship with me, even though we've moved onto different seasons of our lives. Frankly, the people I DON'T send newsletters to -- just cards -- are those who I see all the time and who already know what I've been up to.

[ZipTheWonder]

Overall, I've enjoyed the chatty little Christmas newsletters we get.  But, we've received two this year that were the kind that I'd post here if I was sure nobody could identify the perps.  

I like hearing about people's work but not their promotions, people's activities but not their awards, and people's trips but not their new frequent flyer status.  I especially enjoy that our friends, more and more, are including several photographs with their newsletters. It's fun to see their families grow and change.

[MadMadge43]

I LOVE Christmas newsletters, especially the ones from people I've know for many years who live far away and who I never get to see. I don't ever think they send them because they don't want to maintain a real relationship with me. On the contrary, these are people from various stages in my life who were I adored when we lived close together and who I still want to keep in touch with. I think they send them because they still DO want to maintain a relationship with me, even though we've moved onto different seasons of our lives. Frankly, the people I DON'T send newsletters to -- just cards -- are those who I see all the time and who already know what I've been up to.

Arda, I LOVE them too. I don't even mind if they're bragging, I'm happy to hear the people I care about are doing well. There are so many stages of life that we go through that there's no way possible we could possibly keep up with everyone we've ever been close to on a regular basis and a little glimpse into their lives and how they're doing makes me happy at this time of the year. I have over 200 relatives on just one side of my family alone, thankfully they don't all send newsletters, but I get to keep up with them all through the ones the matriarchs write. And that doesn't even count family friends (my father was stationed all over the country and we have more friends than we can count through that), my friends and old co-workers etc.

but I LOVE the idea of waiting till Christmas Eve to read them all with a drink in my hand. I leave for Tucson tomorrow and will definitely sit down and read the ones my mother receives in one sitting. Now I'm just going to do it with a drink in my hand.

[Yarnspinner]

My best friend writes great Christmas news letters.  Every year it's a different theme and every year she finds a way to make it fun to read.  My two particular favorites were:

1) the year she photoshopped pictures of herself, her son, their two cats and the lizard to make them into game playing pieces...technically, you were supposed to cut the pieces out, then move them around the "board", a second sheet of paper set up like a game of candly land or similar telling what each family member had been doing.  I laughed over that for days.

2) the year the newsletter was "written" by one of the cats in an especially snarky "what the heck is this crazy woman doing with all this wrapping paper" tone.  I shared it with everyone who would let me read it.  They probably thought I was insane.

Hers are the only ones I will save.  All the others make my eyes cross. 

[graceh9]

one page -- I wish some of our family could limit it to one page.(sigh)  last year we got a 3 page, single spaced, both sides of the paper "newsletter?" 

I use that term loosely because I think that they kept a chart of who stubbed their toe when so that they could write it in the newsletter.

One page was nothing about redecorating ONE room of their house.  Another page was all the "downer" news that they had gotten that year.  Hello, they were family, we already knew that news, don't need a replay TYVM

the problem with lengthy Christmas letters is that people who are close already know this stuff and others don't much care --