The most WONderful Christmas letter I ever received (where every WONderful member of the family was engaged in WONderful activites) was followed the next year by a simple Christmas postcard: picture of mom, kids, no husband. That was her way of announcing the divorce.
Hubby has three wonderful aunts who we do send a letter to; along w/school pictures, etc. I always laugh when I get the 'this is how wonderful we are letters' each season...
Mrs. Griswald (PaMom)
Funny, because it’s true. I got a Christmas letter from relatives that say they are now “totally green!”. They both bought hybrids this year. They don’t mention their 3000sq/ft house that’s lite up like a Christmas tree all year long.
We got ours. The father is, of course, the most accomplished attorney in the universe. The mother, despite the real estate market, has sold billions. The two sons are the smartest kids in college, ever. They do all this while traveling the word.
I get a kick out of getting them. I just sit back and wait for the other shoe to drop.
You'd not believe what nonsense these people write about and in such a smug elitist tone. A few of the ones he read this year included people falling all over themselves in regard to Obama and how stupid Sarah Palin is.
” Little Johnie is still working hard at screenwriting and won't let 30 years of rejection letters deter him, sally sue is very busy saving the world with her life partner Bonnie Butch, we vacationed in ( insert hyper hip location here ), blah, blah, blah.
I sit there in a stupor listening to Howie read these letters - they are truly unreal. One would think they were the creation of a gifted satirist yet, one and all are real.
Pretty sad.
Well, I have to say I really enjoy these letters, whether bragging or not.
I just kind of ignore the bragging and focus on the happy side of life everyone is showing. I like to find out what all these (sort of former) friends and distant relatives are up to.
My husband, on the other hand, just hates them and doesn’t read them.
I do send a short one but I try to keep it funny and non-bragging.
I guess I am in a minority, I really enjoy getting updates from friends and family, especially those who are far away. Oh, Bill joined boy scouts, Tim broke his arm, Joe decided to enter the Navy? I think it’s interesting.
But all the negativity about these letters has actually made me start writing them. I am afraid the recipients make fun of us or something.
There should be a filter for these things. Seven or more status markers and the Christmas card gets automatically shredded.
A few years ago, my wife toyed with the idea of sending this type of family newsletter to friends as a Christmas greeting.
Since I usually do all of the writing for her, she asked me to compose the newsletter. I wrote one similar to the second letter.
IIRC, my 14 year-old was in rehab and our baby was taken away by the state; I was getting back into the meth business and the wife was offering herself over the internet for shots of tequila.
She got the idea.
I used to crack up every year when we’d get the family portrait card from a “friend” that showed she and her hubby, 3 adorable dark headed, olive skinned Italian children and the one tall blonde from the affair she had the month before they married. Oops....I still wonder what they told his family about that....
I get mostly cards, but 2 come in printed letter form. The sender makes all the difference:
I have a very eliteist liberal sister in law. Overpaid and underworked principal at a public school. She once said “I can’t believe how much they pay me for what I do!”. (That was real nice for an overtaxed property tax payer to hear!)
She is “nouveau riche”. New Money. Has no CLASS. Comes from humble background and now flaunts her wealth like a clod.
I stopped reading her brag letters years ago. I literally rip it up when it comes.
On the other hand my favorite Christmas letter is from my dear old aunt and uncle who are actually CHRISTIANS and are humble, sweet and lovely people. They send a card and enclose the letter with it. I look forward every year to their letter and the personal note that they add to it.