To enjoy writing and receiving Christmas letters

[Fairyfield]

I do not do facebook, instagram etc, so once a year it is my chance to catch up with family and friends via a Christmas letter.

I love receiving other people's news and miss not getting a letter and just getting a line in a card. I don't tend to send cards now and just email friends our Christmas wishes.

I know some people hate letters as it is other people gushing about their children's achievements. I have very few friends who do this.

Does anyone else like a Christmas letter?

No, honestly it's one of those things I mean to do but never get around to. I'm notoriously bad at replying to texts nevermind letters.
My grandmother wrote letters to her old school friends every year at Christmas. It broke her heart as they got older and stopped replying because they'd passed away.

😂Ragwort.

I didn’t do a letter last year because I was in hospital with a prolapsed fibroid. I am sure all my recipients would like to hear about that, wouldn’t they? In detail?

My mums cousin used to send one of these which we all found very amusing especially as she would tell us world news events as well - like who had been elected president - we would all be very sarcastic about it

This is going to sound so daft... but what do you write in your cards then? I always want to make my cards more personal and interesting, but I always go blank when the pen goes to paper. Do you make it personal to the person you're sending it to? Or does everyone get mostly the same thing?

It really depends how much I'm in touch with them during the year. If it is only at Christmas, they get a brief run down of the year (I mention my work, usually a line about my daughter, if we've been away). I'll say if I've seen mutual friends. I might mention if I've read a book/seen a film/been to a museum they'd be interested in, or visited a place we have a connection to. Most of my friends know about an ongoing saga regarding my house so I'll give a (very short) update on that. A select few get a photo of my DD (I don't want to bore most people). I'll ask after their family/cat/job and usually finish by saying 'we really must try to meet up next year'... I don't put much on social media so it will mostly be new to them. I didn't announce that I was pregnant so a few people heard for the first time when I sent a birth announcement in the Christmas card. That was fun!

I have no objection when they are just a cheery update. I don't actually mind hearing about good news/achievements, i generally only receive christmas cards/letters from people I like, so I'm pleased to hear that Jess got her place at uni or thomas was picked for county under 14s for cricket. Its nice when people do also make it more than just a list of achievements though, there are lots of things people write about that aren't boasty. A relative used to say things like "we had a lovely holiday in wales this summer, bit of rain didn't stop us having fun" and "auntie enid visited from jersey for the first time in 5 years, was so nice to see her".

I love getting a letter with peoples news. I did keep them for years but sadly I think I recycled them as they are not in the usual place. I do I letter with photos on but not bragging my life is pretty dull and I have nothing to brag about. I look at my cards and if it looks as if it has a letter in it I open that last and really enjoy the letter. I love to look at the cards and see if I recognise the writing before I open them.

I get a couple and enjoy them, both from people that were my late husband's friends so I don't know them well. None of my friends do it but I wish they would, especially those who have moved away.
I do write in the card a few paragraphs catching people up in the latest pertinent news. It's more factual than boasting (I hope) and relevant to the recipient.

My parents used to write one every year. Cringey load of "keeping up with the Joneses" crap. I got 100% in my biology A level one year (I can assure you that I did not).

They used to make me feel like shit, both reading others and the ones about me and my siblings. Very fake, bit like social media I guess.

I love getting Round Robins.

I hate writing anything more than names in Christmas cards. I'd certainly never do a RR myself.

I resisted writing an annual round Robin for years but then it occurred to me that I enjoyed reading other people's so I decided to do one too!

Mine go to people like elderly aunts/uncles, second cousins and ´ old university friends who I hardly ever see and/or who I don't contact via Facebook or WhatsApp.

Yeah this! When I used to see a letter starting 'hi all, it's been QUITE a year!' ... IN the bin it would go! Load of braggy over exaggerated bollocks that I couldn't be arsed to waste my time reading. Thank FUCK no-one sends them anymore. No-one I know anyway!

My favourite is my partner's former colleague who sends one of these letters (complete with photos) every year. The best one began "What a year - so much has happened!" The only thing that HAD happened was having her kitchen redecorated.

I like sending and receiving letters and cards. There are less now than there used to be but I still do it. I don't send out identical letters because I know they often contain information which is not of interest to the recipient; I try to tailor them to the individual. It's great fun and generally much appreciated, I certainly like receiving them.