Ottakee Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I was just wondering what the norm is now with so much social media. Do you send out Christmas cards? If so, to everyone, a select few, or ??? Do you enclose a family letter updating everyone on your past year? Do anyone still do that? Do you send a family picture? Trying to figure this all out. I came up with a list of 52 people that might be on the Christmas card list. Out of those, 51 are facebook friends......and therefore see our pictures on facebook, see our updates, etc. It would get a bit pricey to mail out 52 cards with letters and pictures..........yet I know that I love having some printed pictures of friends and family on our fridge. One pro of us sending out a picture and letter is that we could include our foster son who has been with us since right after Christmas last year.......more so that we can include on social media. He is 12 so aware of what can be posted/shared but likes to be included with our family. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I sent out about 35 or 40 cards. Most of the people I send them to are either not on or rarely on Facebook (this is older as well as much younger members of my extended family mostly) or those who are on social media, but want pictures to put on their refrigerator. Our card has pictures on it. I also include a letter. Since I am having surgery on the 23rd I'm being all ahead and organized and already got our cards ordered and our letter written. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We do not send cards anymore. Most of our family and friends no longer do it since the price of mailing has gone up so much along with the price of cards and envelopes if you want to send something nice looking. But back when we did, dh would make a postcard size, quick message on the back, photo on the front on our color photo printer because postcards are cheaper to mail. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 A cheap and efficient method would be an email with photo attachment. People can print it out if they want, but otherwise no cost of postahe and no wasted paper hitting the garbage can. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I loooove sending and getting Christmas cards, and I hope technology and social media never replaces that. I know it's an investment (financial and time wise), but I still do it...pictures, family letter, the whole shebang! I am not in social media anymore, but even when I was I did it. I don't know if some folks appreciate it or not, and/or even care to hear from us, but I send it anyway. I have been told by many distant family members that they love and appreciate hearing from us every year. Even our pediatrician has a special corner on his corkboard for us (don't ask me why I send him a Christmas card and picture, no letter...and I don't do it with any other Dr office, just him), but he has kept ALL our pics and has them displayed on his board. My dh chuckled one time when someone he works with brought it up to him. Anyway, if you can tell, from me it's a definite YES, send it!! Oh, and I love supporting our postal service, so that's my Christmas contribution to them :) ETA: as long as we can afford it I think I'll always send them. Technology is great, but I don't want it to replace actual mail, or a thank you note etc. If I don't model those things for my kids they won't learn it, technology will take over :( 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I try to send a card with one or more photos of my girls. Sometimes I don't get it done in all the year-end hubbub. I don't do a family letter. Most of the people know what I have going on, and the few who don't can ask if they are interested. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 A lot of the people we send cards to don't even have e-mail addresses, or if they do they would likely get our Christmas e-mail in May or June. Also, we send to several people in Australia and England (my husband's cousins and aunts). They go on and on every year to my MIL about how wonderful it is that we send them real printed cards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Real mail? My answer is always "yes" to real mail!! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly in IN Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 If the financial aspect isn't too overwhelming this Christmas season, I would send a card/letter and picture, just because it would mean so much to your foster son. Plus, I really like receiving kids/family photos (and I even like reading the Christmas letters.) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I have never done Christmas cards but we get a bunch. I don't particularly care for them and am never excited to see them in the mail. Of the maybe 15 cards we get 2 include a letter. It is always weird to see what my dh's tells everyone else about us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I used to do cards. Expensive and writing that many personal notes was time consuming. Then we did a few years of simply sending a family picture, sometimes a studio portrait, but usually I'd pick a good shot of the kids and have cards made at Costco. Then I did a letter for several years. Having the right balance in the letter got tricky. We had one year I skipped because after several hours of writing, it was too depressing and I couldn't send a depressing holiday greeting (our life is bad, have a happy new year just didn't seem right). People missed the letter and asked. I went back to letters for a few years and thankfully our lives were more positive. Then, a few years ago I was having trouble writing again. I decided to go through the year's pictures and put several on a letter sheet with holiday greetings. So, that's what we do now. People seem to like all the pictures even if some are tiny. We have several older extended family who look forward to these greetings. I won't stop because of them. What I send may evolve. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I send a photo card. Yes most of the people are on Facebook but they also enjoy getting mail. My grandparents do print out some photos, but the ones I send are better quality. I put a brief personal note in some cards but not all. Partly I prefer sending cards because my kids really enjoy the cards we receive. We hang them up and my kids love looking at the pictures. It's different than an emailed or text picture. For what it's worth the pictures of the foster children my aunt cared for 30 years ago are still hanging in my grandparents house, despite three moves. We really loved those kids and even though they are no longer a part of our lives, we still think about them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I send cards. I rarely include photos, typically only to people I know would want one, if I happen to have some. I've contemplated sending a letter but have never done so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We're not on Facebook, and we send photo cards. I don't write family letters. I'm too lazy, and I would spend way too much time trying to get it just right. I love receiving letters and cards, though, as does my daughter. Keep them coming, people! :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnwife Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 My family always got lots of cards growing up. Many came with letters and/or photos.Since DH and I got married, I have always done a card, letter, and photo. Last year we had to do a photo collage because we could not get a decent photo of all 3 kids. I feel too tired to do a letter this year, but hopefully will manage cards and a photo/photo collage. FWIW, we are not on social media. So pretty much the only way people know what our kids look like is through this yearly update, unless they live close (which would be only a small group).I love getting cards in the mail. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I love getting cards and I treasure all of the letters. I haven't sent one for a while but this year I'm going to. Just one family shot and a little update about what everyone is into on the back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We always do a letter with photos. Sometimes the letter goes in the card, sometimes not. I don't send cards to anyone local. Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I don't and never have sent Christmas cards etc. I don't get them from anyone under the age of 70, so I am guessing I am not alone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Real mail? My answer is always "yes" to real mail!! We didn't do it for several years, but I realized I loved receiving the cards, even from people we "kept up with" online. So I started putting the pictures on the wall to enjoy all year. And we replace them with the pictures that come with the new year's card. I hand deliver cards with pictures to everyone on my list at church (They have a special church mailbox, and ask for a donation to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering for the postage you would otherwise have spent) And through the mail to the rest -- relatives and select friends that we know would appreciate it. Basically people we've kept up with over the years. I do not in general do a letter -- I found that trying to figure out what to write/get it put together meant the cards did not go out. I will hand write a note on specific cards to people we do not see on Facebook. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 A photo card with a year-in-review letter is a tradition for us. I keep one of each in our Christmas scrapbook and we all love to pull out the album every December and read about past years. Even if no one else reads it, we would keep doing it for us (but we get enough good feedback that I think it's appreciated). Some years are harder to write about, but I think we still manage to have letters that are usually funny and for the tougher years they're at least thoughtful and poignant. One year I didn't feel like writing so dh just put a bunch of pictures on the page with something like "if a picture's worth 1000 words, here are 7012 words about our year." Last year our almost-12 year-old wrote the letter and it was hysterical. We also love the cards and letters we get from others. They're on display all December, and pictures from family go in our scrapbook. In the past couple of years, whatever picture we sent with our letters I also post on Facebook on Christmas Eve. Some people see both, but I actually have a lot of FB friends who aren't on the Christmas card list and lots of Christmas card recipients who aren't on Facebook. Getting the cards and letters out is definitely a production, but it's an important part of Christmas for us. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We haven't sent any in a couple years. My MIL used to take photos at her studio of the kids each year and have cards printed. We used to get quite a few cards in the mail, but we only got two or three last year. It is always fun to get pictures, but I never know what to do with them. Not sure what I will do this year. My dad's cousin always sends a Christmas newsletter type thing that includes a story she has written, a list of milestone birthdays and anniversaries in the family and this years births and deaths. It is always interesting to read. I have never felt any desire myself to write a newsletter about our year to send out. I just don't feel like our life is all that exciting, and the people who really care pretty much know what is going on with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We don't send Christmas cards, but we don't use Facebook anymore either. I like the idea of a New Year's letter instead of Christmas cards, but I don't think I'd ever get around to it. We usually get 2-3 photo cards and 1-2 letters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I love getting Christmas cards, especially the photo ones! We're sending out Christmas (or New Year's, depending on how organized I am) cards this year, but we 're also using them to announce that we're expecting #3 AND our new soon-to-be address in a new state. It's like three cards for the price of one stamp! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We do a photo card each year as my family members in another state really enjoy it. I also keep a Christmas scrapbook of each one so we can see our family at Christmastime through the years. I used to hand out cards to local friends but I may just mail them this year to out of town folks to save money. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squawky Acres Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I always make up a photo card from Tiny Prints with some pictures of our family taken throughout the year. I figure that a high-quality, artistically-printed card will make up for the random snapshots I stick in it. With seven of us, it is difficult to get that perfect posed family portrait anyway, so I don't even bother. I send out about 50 cards to relatives, far-away friends, and a few special local friends. No hand-written note, just a nice card. We receive a lot of cards as well, and enjoy seeing the photos of our friends. I used to keep them on the fridge, but our new fridge is too fancy to stick things on now, so I just keep them in a basket in the kitchen. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We send out about seventy cards with a printed holiday letter. We don't have a Facebook account, so this is our way of remembering friends and family and bringing them up to date about what's been happening with us. I love to receive holiday letters. While I appreciate receiving cards, it is disappointing to receive a card with just a signature when that is my only contact with the sender. I'd like to hear some news. A photo card with a year-in-review letter is a tradition for us. I keep one of each in our Christmas scrapbook and we all love to pull out the album every December and read about past years. Even if no one else reads it, we would keep doing it for us (but we get enough good feedback that I think it's appreciated). I've also kept copies of our past letters (except for one year's letter that is inexplicably missing). It's fun to reread them and remember what we were doing. I consider these annual letters to be our family journal. Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I do photo cards and a brief update on the year, mentioning the girls current age/grade and interests. Last year I let the girls write it. It prints on 1/4 sheet of paper 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I have cards printed with a family photo, on Shutterfly. I still send out close to 50 cards, and I don't care if they are already FB friends or not. I do try to have a photo that I did not put on FB, so at least it's different from what they would see anyway. I do notice that I receive barely half as many cards as I send out, so that is disappointing, but I reaaaaaally like getting cards and especially photos from others, so I persist. I don't do an updates letter; those never do feel comfortable for me. If I talk about bad stuff that happened I feel like I'm spinning a tale of woe and if I focus on all the positives, I feel like I'm gosh-washing our magnificent family. So, no letter. People who are close enough to us know the good, the bad, and the ugly. People who aren't close enough to know don't need to. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentuckymom Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We almost 100 letters and photo cards every year. Some of the people are Facebook friends, but many of them are not. Our photo card always includes a shot of the whole family and then one or two of each kid. It bothers me when people send photo cards with only pictures of the kids. I want to see the whole family! We liked last year's card so much we still have one on our fridge :). There have been years when portions of the letter were kind of depressing, but there are always at least some positive things happening. I get compliments on the letter every year, so I don't intend to stop, even though, yes, it's kind of pricey. We just figure it into the Christmas budget. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I always send a photo of my kids as a card, operating under the delusion people give a $hit how my kids look. This year the cards will be New Years' ones sent in January owing to the fact that DS is not here and we will all be gone 3 weeks over the holidays. I want to use a photo from that vacation since we are going someplace picturesque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivey Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We send Christmas cards and enclose a photo of the kids, but only to family members and a few close friends. I think we'll end up sending around 20 this year. I know that some family members (my two childless aunts, for example) love having photos of the kids on their fridge to show off to their friends. We don't send letters, because our families tend to keep up with what everyone's doing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pehp Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I am devoted to my Christmas cards. We send out about 100 each year, but the # is so high in part due to the fact that everyone in our (small) church gets one. I avoid facebook and don't post pictures of my children on my blog, so most people are not overrun with photos of my family. Plus I LOVE getting Christmas cards so much. I hope we never stop the tradition! I don't write a 'family update' letter though. Sometimes they feel obnoxious, even when they don't mean to come across that way. I'd rather write a little personal note. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I love both sending and receiving Christmas cards. I do not do Facebook. I mostly just send to old friends that I rarely or never get to see (who don't live nearby). Plus a handful of close friends and relatives who I do see often. I send probably 80/year. (We have lived all over the country!) I used to be adamant about not sending a copied "Christmas letter" and would hand write a short letter on every single card instead. But, after getting older and busier, I find I really do enjoy hearing what my old friends that I never see are up to, so I assume they would like to know what I am up to as well (tho I could be wrong!), and I've gotten into writing very short Christmas letters afterall. :) Part of it is because we've had a big (bad) event that many of our old friends follow, so it's an easy way for me to yearly update everyone. So yes, I do send a Christmas "letter" now but it's not really, it's just one line per person, not even half a page. I've gotten into going on Shutterfly or similar and putting together a photo card, but this year my daughter is using her graphic arts skills and designing one for me. I love sitting by the Christmas tree playing Christmas music and writing my Christmas cards. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Pre-Facebook days, we (okay, I) did a photo (or photo card) along with a fairly lengthy letter. Then DH got Facebook and added my friends, so the update isn't necessary for anyone who actually cares. I thought the photo wasn't necessary either, until the year I didn't do one and got all the complaints because many of our family/friends keep the Christmas photos on the fridge the rest of the year :) So now I do a photo Christmas card and write a short note on the back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I don't do any. Everyone I would want to communicate with I do. I also don't like the braggy letters and assume no one wants to hear about my kids at length. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 I decided to do a photo card this year...my first ever. It took a bit of searching to find one that had 4 EQUAL (so no one is more favored than another) size photos.... One for each kid and then a 5th one for dh and I. I will likely include a brief letter update for the folks we don't see often, more elderly people, etc. After all, a few might wonder who the 4th child is :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 We do a picture card with a family letter. I appreciate getting actual cards. I do get the expense & why people choose to do it via email, FB etc... but it sure is nice to get a card/letter too. A lot of people on our list are not on social media too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 We send cards, to about 150 people. Dh had a long standing tradition before we were married even of making his own cards and we continued that as a married couple. They are very different than usual cards though. It's not a photo or Christmas letter, they are different every year. It's labor-intensive and expensive but it's also something he loves to do. He's an architect and definitely has the soul of an artist/designer. The cards are one guaranteed outlet for him to have that creative expression every year. It also becomes a project we do together and the kids have gotten more involved. For example, last year he scanned doodles/sketches they had done over the year and then used them to create a Nativity scene. An unusual one as it had dragons and kangaroos and tigers and sharks and other imaginary creatures, but still a Nativity scene. Then he printed it onto card-stock and as a family we used colored pencils to hand-color the animals on the cards. Another year we did a crossword puzzle with all the clues being things we were thankful for that year. Another year he saved all the Madonna and child stamps from the cards we got and then used them to make a card the next year. We get a lot less cards than we send, but that's ok. For us, it's something we enjoy. I know some people find it a burden. I like the ones we get. We don't really do social media so it's fun to see photos and read the Christmas letters from people we care about but who live far away. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 To me, an email is not a holiday card. We have one or two friends who do that. To me, it's cheap. Don't hate me...it's just MY opinion. If it's an actual note directly to me, that's okay. Actually...it's all okay. I love sending and receiving Christmas cards. We have distant friends and relatives who are not very active on social media. We've done it all...photos, letters, cards, etc. These days we do a family photo sometime during our annual family beach trip. More formal and planned last year..everyone in white shirts and either denim or khaki shorts, feet in the surf. This year, it was an informal snapshot during a kayaking trip. Lots of color and energy. Whatever photo I choose to use, I do NOT post it on social media until after Christmas. I like doing letters, but I've gotten out of the habit. Maybe I'll do a catch up letter this year. I like mailing these the first week of December. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeteranMom Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I send out Christmas cards that I make on Shutterfly. I'm on social media a little bit, but I won't post the Christmas pictures that way. I like to send out and receive hard copies of pictures and cards. I just think it's more personal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I do it if I feel like it. LOL So some years I send cards and some years I don't. DH sends cards every year to his family. Sometimes I fill them out for him (he writes some blah blah in German and I copy it). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Mu parents generation would appreciate a photo especially because they are empty nesters. One of my aunt had made that request. My in-laws have a glass cabinet with photos in frames in their living room. My cousins would be happy to print whatever photos they like of my family that is on my kids blog or Facebook. They know we don't mind. My older cousins are already grandparents. My nephews are happy with seeing pictures on Facebook. My oldest nephew is my age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowlark Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I LOVE getting Christmas cards and would be terribly upset if media ever replaced this rich tradition. Seeing my kids run out to the mailbox every day to see whose card came today, watching them tear them open and see the pic (or ask me who it is), hanging them up in our kitchen, talking about relatives that we don't see often, friends from across the country and my husband's co-workers. My plan this year is to pray for a different family every night of advent. I really hope this is never lost! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I was just wondering what the norm is now with so much social media. Do you send out Christmas cards? If so, to everyone, a select few, or ??? Most years, to family. Cousins, aunts, uncles. Do you enclose a family letter updating everyone on your past year? Do anyone still do that? No but we've thought of doing a funny one, such as bragging about our two brussels sprouts or how many miles our car has on it ("We never thought our little Nissan would make it this far!!!") Do you send a family picture? Nope, but maybe we should, since I enjoy getting them, no matter how old and ugly the children are. Trying to figure this all out. I came up with a list of 52 people that might be on the Christmas card list. Out of those, 51 are facebook friends......and therefore see our pictures on facebook, see our updates, etc. One pro of us sending out a picture and letter is that we could include our foster son who has been with us since right after Christmas last year.......more so that we can include on social media. He is 12 so aware of what can be posted/shared but likes to be included with our family. Sounds like a great time to share the new addition to your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleowl Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I do regular cards, but I insert a photo of the kids in each one. We just did our pictures yesterday, in fact. :) I talked to DH about maybe doing a very brief update letter (more like an update paragraph), but after discussing a bit we decided not to. I do enjoy reading those from others, though. The first couple of years after we married, DH wrote spoof Christmas letters that we put in our cards, including updates on our two imaginary children. They were pretty funny. :) (We didn't have real children until we'd been married six years.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 We just did our family pics and ordered our cards this year. We also send a letter. Don't understand the bad image some have of the letter? I hope no one reads ours as we are trying to brag :( We always get compliments in our card and letter, and many have expressed they love reading it and getting the yearly update. I also love reading other people's letters or note :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 We send out 125 cards as of this year, included in it is a one to two page family newsletter with pictures scattered throughout it. We aren't on Facebook and rarely communicate with distant family and friends, so these measures receive a ton of compliments and people say they looks forward to our letter. A good handful of our friends do the same. Yes, between the cards and postage we spend upwards of $3-400, but it's in lieu of other gifts to most of them and important to my husband, so we have done it every year of our marriage (he has done it since before we met). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I love receiving cards and especially pictures, and especially pictures of the kids of distant friends and family that I don't get to see in person very often. Some years if I'm especially inspired I hang them on a string and cascade it across the bay window in the kitchen like Tibetan prayer flags, or if I don't get around to that, I just keep them in a basket. We aspire to send out a New Years card (we're not Christian) every year in early January. I just do it on shutterfly or whatnot with a good picture of the kids on one side, and all of us or the dog or one-offs of each of the kids on the other. No letter, though I try to hand-write a little note on older recipients or people we don't see IRL very frequently. We actually manage to get our act together and do it about every other year. This gives rise to a whole 'nuther entertainment, which is observing which of our friends carefully matches their "send" list to their "receive" list, and culls out the slackers like us who fail to send... and then the following year, when we DO manage to get one out, they SCRAMBLE to reciprocate and send us a late one within days of getting ours... :lol: It's definitely not my Better Self, but for some reason this totally cracks me up. Every time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I've never sent a family letter, nor have any of my family ever done that. The last family picture we had done in a studio was in 2013 so it will be a while before we do that again. Basically we only use preprinted cards and sign them the X family on the bottom. Not very imaginative. I have less than 20 people in mine and DH's families combined and some of them are couples so they only get one card. I do wish I had a bigger family and circle of friends because I think it would be cool to get a lot of cards for the holidays, even if they are only signed from the X family. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyS Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I haven't sent Christmas cards in a few years, though I've been thinking of it a little this year. We're not really close (though not estranged) to my family or dh's, so I kind of just fell out of the habit. In thinking about it this year I've been pondering how I might want to rebuild my card list. Just family and close friends? Every person I ever met? I dunno. My family wasn't the type to inculcate "good manners" or "social norms", so I'm always making it up as I go along. I've never sent a Christmas letter, and I can't think how to write one that won't be perceived as obnoxious bragging (because while we, like most people, have negative stuff, I wouldn't put it in a Christmas letter). Doesn't help that the one Christmas letter we receive every year I perceive to be obnoxious (begins with a recitation how awesome they are and ends with an exhortation to not "stay to ourselves" and "get outside our comfort zone", whatever). Maybe that's a topic for another thread....how to write a not-obnoxious Christmas letter (I posit that include an exhortation (ha!) not to tell other people how to live). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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