Christmas Letters! Do you do them? Dilemma!

[Aimeedyan]

I LOVE getting letters from family and friends that update us on their family, and would like to do a short one this year to be included in our photo card.

Problem is, this year, the major thing that has gone on is my dx of a chronic disease, treatments, procedures, etc. I don't want to be a downer by including it - but on the other hand, it has been major and all started last January, so it's been a long year but I'm now functioning again... and since it's chronic, things can change quickly and will likely get 'bad' again. Our entire life revolves around the limitations now.

Would you mention it in the letter? Like, something briefly? I feel like I'm not really sharing if we don't share that - since it was more than just a drive-by surgery that happened, but I don't want to provide *too* much information, either.

What do you think? Have you included things like that in XMas letters past?

THANKS!

 

[NMAmy]

I think I would say something along the lines of this: For those of you who aren't aware, I was diagnosed with...... in January. It's been a long, difficult year but things are going better now and we're hoping for the best.

Not downbeat but it lets people know what's going on with you and what you're going through.

Best of luck to you!

 

[liznboys]

We haven't done a xmas letter yet (one of those things I think about doing every year, but never actually do it). But as you may remember, I have Crohn's Disease as well, and I would not feel comfortable putting it in a xmas letter. I don't mind telling people I have it (I want them to know, expecially when I'm feeling bad) but I wouldn't want to talk about it in a xmas letter.

Now, we have gotten xmas letters from people who have told about bad things that have happened to them in their lives over the previous year, and I don't mind reading it, and actually like to hear about it and know everything that's going on in their lives, the good AND the bad.

So, I guess my opinion is one for us, but another for others... Do what you feel in your heart is best.

 

[mtblujeans]

My DH likes doing the family newsletter. He does touch on any major negative stuff our family has gone thru in the year but he touches on it briefly and then turns toward a positive note. He keeps the newsletter to one page, if he can, and I buy special Christmas stationary to print it out onto. He has gotten good feedback from friends and family. Some old friends live so far away and we all cannot keep in touch as we would like.

We have friends who send out an annual newsletter and they have one of their children draw a small picture and they add it to the bottom of the page. It is adorable. I look forward to their drawings every year ~ watching their skills develop with each newsletter!!

I think newletters are addicting!