Does anyone else love to receive Christmas letters?

[Keli]

Every year I hear people complain about Christmas letters and I just don't get it. I love to receive Christmas letters. I don't even mind if someone I'm not that close to sends me one, I just quickly note any major changes in their lives and throw it away.

But if they are from close family or friends, well, then I'm just thrilled to pieces to get one. Having spent substantial time in my life in other areas of the country I have many friends that I was once very close to that I now only hear from around the holidays. I never had a falling out with any of these friends, it's just that distance has caused us to step out of keeping up with each other's everyday lives. I want to hear how they are doing, their kids are doing, what good things have come into their lives, and occassionally what terrible thing has beset them or their loved ones.

I don't even mind if it's pretentous. I'm not stupid, I know how to read between the lines and I know that no one has the perfect life and that there were probably lots of negative things that they left off of their letter. Honestly, I understand why they don't want to announce that JR's flunking out of high school or that their dd has taken up drugs.

But I so much enjoy catching up on their lives, hearing about the big promotion, seeing a pic of the new house, hearing that JR won the science fair and whatever else they want to tell me. I am reminded of them and our friendship once again each time I read a Christmas letter and it feels so good to remember the ones you were once so close to with love.

So chalk me up as a fan of Christmas letters.

 

[DawnCt1]

I really like Christmas letters too. I have a couple of friends that send me realistic, honest Christmas letters with absolutely no embellishments and no bragging. I have a cousin on the other hand, that sends me a Christmas letter than I could actually use hip boots to wade through.

 

[chyam]

I agree with you 100%.........and I too make the time to send a letter with all my cards, although mine are not the same to everyone, I take the time to do each one individually, alot of time I may not have heard or kept in contact with some of these people for months, and if I am going to use a stamp I want to get my moneys worth out of it! Although this year I have decided that if someone cannot even jot a short note on their card or even take the time to send me a card, they will not even get that next year. Although I do not send out ALOT of cards I believe it is a time to take the time to remember why those people are on my mailing list and if I am not cared enough for a short note just a signature then I guess I am just not thought of in the same light that I think of them. I have already recieved 2 emails thanking me for my cards and that they are to busy to send out cards.......I'm sorry but the 2 that did that do not even work and they don't have any kids at home so that just put both of them on my no list for next year! I start mine Thanksgiving week.

 

[crz4mm2]

I love getting them too. I don't care if they write that their great uncle's sister's brother's wife was elected president of whatever, I like reading them
My best friend writes some of the most humerous ones I have ever read. I so look forward to receiving hers.
I write one each year too, but must admit mine are not that wonderful. Just write the news and don't send to folks I talk to all the time. THis year the news was DD started college and DS got engaged!

 

[WDWLVR]

I love them too. We really only send Christmas cards with those we don't see that often like people I used to work with. I'd rather get a Christmas card with a letter inside telling me what is happening with them than one with just a signature (or worse just a pre-printed name). We always put a letter in with ours. Most years it is pretty short, but some years (like the year my mom died) it is longer.

 

[horseshowmom]

I really like them too. I've never sent one out though, because I hear so many people who seem to adamantly dislike them.

 

[rbuzzotta]

I look forward to Christmas Letters. I love to hear about friends I don't see often or who live out of state (or even in state) and all they are up to. I love to see how the children have grown over the years.

I stopped sending letters with my christmas cards but do send an email with Christmas greetings and updates!!!

 

[laurie31]

I love them

I even read all of Mom and Dad's when I go home for Christmas! So many of their friends so not send me cards but it's interesting to hear what they're doing now. In fact, I started writing one of my own last year because I enjoyed reading them so much. So far, I've only gotten compliments on mine, but I tried to make it realistic and not "gushing." I also put in lots of pictures showing the things I'm talking about and most of my family aren't so computer-literate and are all impressed with the layout. I send them to people who are geographically distant and don't know all the particulars of our lives any more. I don't send them to our close friends as they already know how old our kids are now and that DD2 got glasses and other such things as we see them all the time.

Laurie

 

[ZachnElli]

I love them too. I never understood why people complained about them. I will also go through my parents' pile when I get back home this week. Just catch up on all the older relatives and old friends of my parents who don't send me one because they still think I'm 6!

 

[Zurealsoon]

I love them, but most people are too busy to write them anymore.

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

I, too, love getting Christmas letters. Holiday time is often the only time of year I hear from some of my friends so it is fun to catch up with their lives.

I dread writing our holiday letter but I keep doing it and keep sending out a picture of my kids and the letter to folks who don't send me anything just so I don't lose touch with some of those people. I like email but there is something about having an actual letter in my hand.

 

[disykat]

I love them too. I always feel so let down when I open a card from a friend I haven't seen in ages and there's only a signature. Of course, I love personal notes too - but you get so much more info in a letter. I send a "form letter" and then try to jot a quick personal note at the bottom of each card.

I don't get how people talk about the time and money issue either. I sent 35 cards. I spent less than $40 ( a box of 42 cards at Costco, having pictures copied, and stamps) and maybe three or four hours spread out over several weeks. Way less time than I DIS!

I still maintain that the people who get upset about form letters probably don't have many long distance friends or family to try to keep in touch with.

 

[debloco]

I love them as well, and look forward to reading them from all of those families that send us one. We have one family we're friends with that does theirs in a newsletter/newspaper format that is really great.
We started doing a letter of our own with a collage of pictures on the back of it about 9 years ago. I do think it's a nice way to keep up with family and friends we don't get to see very often.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

Count me in as a fan. I love getting them.

 

[mbw12]

I read them....I don't "enjoy" them nor do I "dislike" them. It is what it is. Do I write one? Nope....I send out Christmas cards with my kids pictures on them....I bet that annoys some people....but it is what I like to give and receive, too!

 

[KelNottAt]

I really like them too. I've never sent one out though, because I hear so many people who seem to adamantly dislike them.

Same here. I love love love getting Christmas letters. I've never sent one, though; don't want to add to people's complaints.

 

[Mermaid02]

To me they always seem like bragging. I actually got one where the mother says, "I try to go to the gym twice a week" I try to drink 8 glasses of water a day- but I don't think anyone cares.

 

[skiwee1]

I wouldn't mind them from family but no one does the letters. We do have an aquaintance that sends us a long, boring, bragging, letter every year. It is so bad that you think it can't be real. It is what everything a bad Christmas letter is! It goes on and on about the clubs the kids are in, the grades they get, the awards they receive, the church stuff they are into, their vacations and on and on. Everything down to the minute detail. It really is hysterical in a way. I almost thought it was a joke the first time we got it. Mind you, I've never even met these people.

 

[NCDisneyMom]

I wouldn't mind them from family but no one does the letters. We do have an aquaintance that sends us a long, boring, bragging, letter every year. It is so bad that you think it can't be real. It is what everything a bad Christmas letter is! It goes on and on about the clubs the kids are in, the grades they get, the awards they receive, the church stuff they are into, their vacations and on and on. Everything down to the minute detail. It really is hysterical in a way. I almost thought it was a joke the first time we got it. Mind you, I've never even met these people.

I don't mind most of them, and do enjoy them. But what you describe above is like what my parent's get from my Dad's cousin. Not only do they list the good stuff, but they brag about it. Little Johnny not only made the honor roll, he was accepted into 3 Ivy League Universities. They didn't just go to Paris on vacation, they stayed in a 5-Star Hotel, and traveled in luxury. Those kinds of things. It's almost become a joke in our family. We look forward to it, but then gag over it as we read it.

 

[wilderness01]

I do love getting them as well, especially from our friends that we don't get to see that often because they live across the country from us. If it is loaded with bragging I just overlook that and read between the lines so I can catch up on their life.