It’s that time again, really the only time of the year anymore when personal mail actually shows up in the old-fashioned mailbox. Holiday card time.
Some years it seems like sending out cards is just another item on the Big Holiday To-Do List. A chore. It didn’t used to be this difficult, but now we take into consideration photos or not? Just kids or whole family? Professional or homemade? Letter or not? Etc. times ten.
I admit it, I love to receive photos with cards. Love to see how my friends’ children have grown, to keep track of long-distance friends and family and who’s sporting what color of hair and who lost 20 pounds. I also enjoy receiving Christmas letters, especially when the writer infuses humor into it instead of making it one long family brag. (In case you’ve sent us a letter this year and are worried I’m talking about you…we’ve only received the fun, humorous kind so far. 
)
Christmas-letter writing in our family falls to my husband, who is much better at it than I am, writer or not. He has a way of letting people know the highlights of our year while hopefully making people laugh. Instead of waxing on about how angelic and over-achieving our children are, he reports on how loud the younger one is and how lost-in-dreamland the older one is. (This on top of sharing their interests and adventures, of course.) He receives compliments each year on his Christmas letter comedy. We decided, however, that we’re not doing a letter this year, mostly because we’re lucky just to have cards and photos of the boys ready to go. (Um, almost ready to go. Addresses and stamps? A minor matter.)
So what’s the verdict…do you send cards? Photos? Letters? Do you enjoy receiving Christmas letters or are you in the hate-the-boasting-and-rehashing camp? Sure, some letters are better than others, but in my opinion, it’s better than a bill.
I send cards, but no photos or letters. I admire people who do send letters, though. And last night, I put a Santa hat on my dog, and she really looked cute. I’ll have to take a picture of her in it. Maybe next year I’ll send that on Christmas cards. Now, if only my cat would let me put an elf hat on her…
I send cards to the immediate family and a few close friends. I use to send everyone a card for Christmas, but the mail is so expensive any more, and most of the people do not send them back to you. (probably for the same reason)
I do enjoy getting cards and the ones with pictures are a delight. It doesn’t matter if it is their family or just their animals
I send Christmas Cards but no letters. In fact I hate those Christmas letters because most of the time the people that I get them from are just bragging.
don’t you think writing about future is a good idea ?
It generates curiosity and increase knowledge
predictions something like that
Edie, definitely send your pets with next year’s cards.
Judy, I have to pay postage on mine today. Might need to take out a loan…
Maria, those letters bug me but I try to laugh (which may be cruel, come to think of it!)
Adam, interesting idea…