american bragging christmas cards

[thatsnotmywean]

We got the annual christmas card from an american acquaintance. I say acquaintance as they are a friend of a friend and we couldn't care less.

What is it though with this American trend of bragging every christmas? Its like competitive parenting. This card is full of "my beauty business is doing SO well this year, little johnny really loves his music and has a future as an aspiring musician, little janey does cheerleading practice 3 times a week, she's so dedicated" and so on.

AIBU to think, this is a stupid tradition?

Also, I think if we have time, we should send one back full of stupid shit. Can I have suggestions of what to say?

Don't take it personal it's pretty much done about everything and everyone.

I kind of wish now that I had done one every year as a nice memory/summary of the year. I am now in my fifties and cannot remember what I had for breakfast.

Mum's family is scattered around the world (mostly Asia but some in America) and they all always write to each other.
No one wants a letter full of woe, so think of it more as a FB post - you only see the good bits!

The best one comes from her Aussie cousin's dog telling us all their news. It's hilarious, I look forward to it every Christmas!

It's not a way of letting everyone know how their lives are going. It's bragging. Half of it is probably made up. If it was on Facebook, MN would be decrying it.

I’d quite like to get cards like that. Once i got a card with an A4 printer letter complete with photos detailing a year in the life of the family who sent it. I was disappointed not to get another one.

An American I knew through a shared interest but had never met IRL sadly died.
I wrote a fairly generic 'sympathy' card to his family.

They sent me a photo of him in his open coffin.

I'm pretty sure we'd not do that [and I'm also sure that not ALL Americans would, either]

Be grateful it's only the swanky bragging 😂

Yeah and once you see it you can’t un-see it. Honestly people in uk just can’t have a conversation without adding a sarcastic quip and saying how shit everything is. Oh look at that beautiful sunset - huh yeah but shit driving with it innit sun gets right in your eyes. I went to a lovely restaurant the other night, shame the bill was so high, will need to remortgage.

I mean I know a guy who clearly loves his son but always calls him “the idiot” and it’s just like why? Why is this acceptable.

constant negativity is so contagious and draining. Imagine how much good we could achieve as a nation if we didn’t waste so much time being grumpy and not trying cos”what’s the point?”

it’s me too! It’s so conditioned into us all but my lord it’s wearing

I receive one of these every year from someone I've lost touch with but we still exchange Christmas cards. Both English.

I sighed when I got the one this year, knowing what to expect. Yes, sounds braggy but I think they're just proud to share their family's good news. But I still cringe, especially when there's a little hand written note at the bottom of the professionally printed card saying 'do let me know how you and DC have been this year'. I just posted a usual card, handwritten, to them.

I'm so tempted to email them and tell them exactly how my year has been and that not everyone is so blessed. But I'd probably get a reply saying how very sorry there are to hear my news. Or I could just make up a load of crap about how I've won the lottery!

And? Anecdotal evidence doesn’t make it a trend.

I know plenty that don’t, never did this growing up in the US nor ever received such a thing ever from anyone. I’ve heard about such cards and think it would be nice to receive one compared to the Christmas Cards that could have been texted instead.

We've had 3 of these from UK relatives in the last couple of days so it's not just an American thing.

I quite like them 😳

I’ve had cards like these but not from American relatives. They tend to send warm wishes and cheerful holiday greetings, sometimes a photo or two is included which is nice.
When we lived in our previous house a card arrived every year with a letter inside detailing the senders family life: illnesses, school, university, marriages, grandkids arrivals…but we had no clue who it was from. I contacted the previous owners of the house who had lived there for six years, they’d also been receiving these cards all of that time and they didn’t know them either.
This went on for twenty years.

I am American and was living in England when I received my first and only "round robin" letter at Christmas from an English friend in 1999.

I had moved from Berkshire to Greater Manchester and my friend happily shared her family news since I had been away. It was a little bit twee and perhaps a bit on the braggy side but she was so proud of herself and her children so I let it go. I showed it to my English husband and said that my friend was really old-fashioned and middle-class to send such a thing. Note that he didn't say American probably because I have NEVER EVER written or received a letter like that since and I live in the US now.

YADBU!!

It's just an update! And of course they're going to focus on the positives.

I really don't think, in their minds, that they are being competitive or smug.

Just respond in kind. They're a bit different to us.

Yep. I'm not American, or British, but I agree. I read things on here, or even from British friends, about their rules/ways, and think wtf. However, apparently the Brit way is the only way on MN, and every other country is wrong - and Americans especially.

I'm an American who doesn't do this and I don't know anyone who does. I did however see another thread on MN where the poster complained that the Christmas card only said Merry Christmas inside it. So it seems like you can't win either way.

It’s not just Americans.
I used to work with someone 25 years ago, not seen them since but still get a bragging round robin every year.
However I love it, another ex colleague and I get together, have a drink and merciless take the piss out of it.
It’s one of my Christmas highlights.

Me too. But I'm not a miserable person, I actually enjoy hearing that other people are doing well. Especially since I've had a particular shitty few months.

As a pp has already pointed out, just because all your American friends/relatives do it, that doesn't mean the entire nation does - there are an awful lot of people there you know.

The only American family I know who do this are originally from my home country. I have also received them from Australians, and even - shock, horror, - one from an English friend. I also know people here who send them.

This is yet another American bashing thread.

These are definitely also a uk thing too, less so than they used to be but that’s because social media is like an ongoing sharing of news.

I don’t mind it to be honest. You might not be interested, fair enough, but letting you know some positives from their year is hardly bragging. Or would you prefer they balance it out with a detailed account of how they had that troublesome boil lanced, or how Janet’s piles have cleared up nicely since she started using the new ointment?

Indeed. Most of us normal folk are just grateful to hear from friends/relatives at Christmas, we don't actually care if they write a lengthy message or nothing at all.

One thing MN has taught me is that there are people who will whinge about anything.

That says more about you than the sender

YABU None of the Americans I know do this. They are far too busy doing Ted Talks and winning the Super Bowl to write braggy letters. As I was saying to DS in the Porsche Cayenne on the way to his Royal College of Music audition this morning, writing boastful round robin letters is vulgar and crass but not confined to any one nation. Many of my thousands of friends from around the world do it. It's a bit annoying when they are in a different language to one of the 13 I'm fluent in and they also do take up a lot of room on the marble mantelpiece in our detached home with half moon gravel driveway. DH's Nobel prizes are positively hidden under the weight of yuletide missives by the time boxing day comes. I dread the look on the face of the housekeeper.

FFS - lets roll out the knee jerk xenophobia and anti-americanism for no good reason. The only onlys I get are from british people.