Christmas newsletters that cover the whole year, tell and sometimes illustrate each family's myth-- do you like them or fume when you read them?There is no way I'd write a personal letter to everyone on my list (although generally I do write a few words on the cards), but I am at a point where I don't know whether to include a newsletter or not. At first they were fun; then I got a rather satiric one from someone on the prior year's list that made me think everyone didn't think they were fun.
This year when it came time to decide whether to write one. I wasn't sure. For one thing, there was no new or big news. I decided to go ahead but with few words and pictures of farm life. Choosing which photos was a challenge as with limited space (I keep my letters to one page), and not wanting to use many words, I had to simplify.
My uncertainty about sending one came from some of their negative press, but conflicting that was my own feeling about how much I enjoy receiving them. For a lot of our distant friends, this is the only thing I know about their lives. I especially like those with a few pictures of them on vacation, with their kids, whatever they chose to send. With the computer, fancier and fancier newsletters are possible. For me, they are a heck of a lot more fun than a simple Merry Christmas with a name.
This is not so much an opinion piece as a question. What do you think of those 'newsie' little letters? Do you send your own? If you send them, are you honest, try to cover what really happened or do you sugar coat your news? Do you enjoy receiving them or think they are a cheat?
13 comments:
Great question, Rain...because I recently read somewhere how SO many people hate these and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out WHY.
So yes, I love receiving them...we're all so busy, it's a great way to get caught up on the past years events. And like you, I much prefer a generic newsletter to NO news at all.
I have done one for all the years since we moved to Florida (in '87) mostly to keep people up to date as to what's going on down here...people we just don't hear from during the year. But this year, I didn't do one...mainly because of my blog...I figure if they read my blog, why rehash everything. So for those that I knew didn't have a computer...I typed up a letter and added or deleted for others, as to what was pertinent.
And I still don't understand why so many people detest these newsletters.
I don't mind them. It's a nice way to keep in touch, and I like to read. I think it's fine to send newsletters to people who you don't keep in touch with on a very regular basis.
I enjoy getting them myself. It helps me keep up with relatives and friends where we don't have regular contact. I like reading what went on in their lives during the year. I don't send them out...yet. But then again, I don't send many cards either.
I very much enjoy receiving letters at Christmas and normally send one out although it got "lost" this year probably due to full time work and busy starting an additional business (those are my excuses). I particularly like the handwritten letters, although they are few and far between at any time of the year, the fine art of letter writing has suffered greatly with the electronic age so it is always such a nice surprise to have one in the mail :)
I personally enjoy receiving them, though I do like the ones best that don't list every detail of every single family member since the beginning of time. I have done newsletters since my kids were born 40 years ago and in all their growing up years I also did a photo greeting card. Many of my friends now send the ones with their grandkids.
I agree with everyone that responded that it's a way to stay in touch with people I don't ordinarily see during the year. I keep my own to one page now and this year I interspersed family photos with minimum text.
One thing I really enjoyed this year was getting out the box where I keep past cards and newsletters. I'm pretty forgetful now, so rereading and looking at everything gave me the news to write more personally on each card's inside. Like you, I always hand write at least a small message.
Maybe it's people without families that dislike newsletters--and we certainly have all went yewwww when someone uses I too often.
I had no idea that lots and lots of folks write these letters. I have been receiving one from a particular individual that I use to work with for years.
Unfortunately this fellow is so full of himself and the letter follows suit that I usually don't even open it and send it directly to the shredder. I worked with the fellow and he kept me up to date daily with his life....so why the recap at the end of the year?
Now granted, if he were a friend who lived halfway across the country and I only communicated with them a few times a year - then I think I could enjoy the year's recap.
As a matter of fact, I received his annual report in yesterday's mail and did in fact open and read the letter. Since I had no contact with him or his family the entire year...I did find a bit more interest in the information I suppose. I was glad no one got fired or died.
Obviously I have limited experience in this area. Fran seems to have hit the nail on the head perhaps since I am single and not a part of a large family along with the fact that the "I" word is very prominent in the letter I receive.
Well...I feel better after getting that off my chest. Thanks Rain.
Thank you for raising the question here. I was debating with myself whether or not I should send one this year (I didn't), because although I enjoy them most people seem to dislike them... like fruitcakes.
I like them, I send them and I try to honestly say what has happened during the year. There are some things that might be covered in letters to certain people that is not mentioned in the general letter but that is usually more because they were the ones it relates to rather than being secret about things.
My big and hard decision is should I send these via email when it is available rather than printing and snail mailing them all. It would save money to use email, be quicker and I am sure most if not all of the hard copies end up in the trash eventually anyway. What do you think about this method of distribution?
I am fortunate to send the odd Christmas card ! :)
When I got the first one I was appalled! I thought it was a lazy way to send greetings, But then I didnt send ANY because I worked retail and who had time? Now as I have grown older and much wiser, not to mention lazier, I do not mind them.
I do not send them out, as most that I would send to read my blog, and they already KNOW what has been going on in my life.
THe ones I hated were the ones that went on and on about how perfect their lives always were. I would much rather have one that is REAL.
Merry Christmas ALL. My letter this year is full of gloom, but here goes...Flood mid spring no floors for 6 months! Tim is now in Prison, no more of those nice close jail visits, gotta drive over 100 miles to see him. My arthritis is worse, can barely walk, and ive gained 50 lbs.
Hope yours is better than mine!"
At least that way you know the people that sent it are REAL!
yeah, that stuff all happened. ;)
These comments have been very interesting and pretty well do seem to run the gamut of what I read in the paper about how people feel about them.
It sounds like for some blogging takes the place of the yearly or semi-annual newsletters. Although in my case, only a few, who get cards from me, even have my blogging URL. My blog wasn't begun to keep in touch, but I can see where it's a good benefit for those who don't write blogs that would infuriate some of their family or friends. :)
If I got one like yours, Mary Lou, that was totally honest, I'd like it just fine which incidentally is why I like your blog. I think if they have value, it's to let friends and family, who won't know otherwise, what's going on in a person's life.
It's a mixed bag. Most people, I enjoy reading what they've been up to. Unfortunately, there are a couple of folks, such as Alan G mentions, who are boring. For the first time, this year, I put together a "letter"--by gleaning from the last 3 months of my blog. It was sent only to my cousins and my only remaining aunt, and it was tailored to each. I've since received letters from a couple of the cousins--the first ones in years. (None of them reads my blog, of course--not even sure that they are online.)
Cop Car
I just found your blog tonight and am going to add my 2 cents worth. My feeling is that if people don't like them, they don't have to read them. But at least I am trying to keep them up to date with my hectic life. And mine has always been one of the reality based ones. Not wallowing in the bad stuff, just mentioning it and then commenting on the year's pleasures - often wildlife sightings. Frankly, I'd much rather receive a "canned" letter than a card with just names signed. What's the point of that? (Am enjoying reading your blog - thanks for writing!)
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