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Original poster

Round Robins - yes or no?

139 replies

morningpaper · 05/12/2006 21:28

I think Round Robins are massively under-rated!

I USED to do them but I don't anymore because they are The Height Of Naff.

Instead I send a photo of the children.

I have 120 cards to write and I can't possibly write a note in each one.

What is the solution?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 15:39

I love the ones for former occupants.

I get really rat-arsed and write them a fitting response, which I make sure to post if they've given a return address - before I sober up, too.

I always sign off, 'Yours in Satan, . . . '

twelvedaysofchristmas · 06/12/2006 15:40

Mwwwwaaaahhhhaaaa EEEVVILL expatinscotland.

expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 15:41

Even better, twelve, is when you get one for a former occupant and show it to a group of your friends.

Two heads are better than one, and you can often get miles of entertainment value composing a response, whilst becoming more and more inebriated, of course.

Much better than party games, IMO.

sunnysideup · 06/12/2006 15:45

Expat, I agree with every word you said!

We say every year that we get one of these abominations, that we are going to send a spoof back "We're so proud of Tarquin, he's transferring to open prison soon and may serve in the end less than fifteen years..who'd have thought it, less than fifteen years for a double murder! We have had the lounge decorated, well we had to after Tarquin's ex-bitch told the police the stash was under the floorboards but now it's lovely and we have a grecian column style coffee table with glass on top, and a side table made to look like a stack of books!"

We got one through one year where the sender had everso helpfully included a 'calendar' of 'important dates for the coming year' - their birthdays, their wedding anniversary,.....BARF!

expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 15:49

It's a good thing they didn't send it to me, sunnyside, b/c I'd have remembered every one of those 'dates', allright .

There's a company in the US that will anonymously send wrapped 'gifts' like dead flowers, rubber rats, dead roaches, dried manure, etc. to the recipient of your choice on their special day, complete w/gift card .

Legacy · 06/12/2006 16:00

Well, I have to say I think you're all a miderable bunch of mean-spirited tossers

In my opinion it's much worse to
a) just send a photo of your children - I hate that- what am I meant to DO with it - it's a proper glossy photo, so it makes me feel guilty tossing it in the bin, but then nor do I want someone else's urchins adorning my fireplace

b) send a 'mail merge' letter purporting to be a 'real' letter - I'm sure people will see through this anyway, it will be so generic... "how has life in been? How are the getting on at ?
Bleurgh!

Think I shall go back to sending RRs this year, in defiance of this thread. Nothing too boastful, lots of pictures, and all on paper, so I won't be offended when it's thrown out....

suedonim · 06/12/2006 16:05

Expat, come on now and tell us how you really feel!!

Fwiw, I do what you mention re templates and then put recipients names in - but isn't that just an RR?? Also, I write the same sort of stuff I write or email throughout the year (Nigerian postal 'service' permitting atm).

What I do find a bit odd are those photo cards from the US. One family ds1 knows in Ca used a photo from his wedding. But the daughter was no longer with the boyfriend in the photo so the mum had calmly cut him out from the pics and sent the photo with a gap in it, lol!!

beckybrastraps · 06/12/2006 16:13

Now, I'd never heard of round robins before they started being slated. I don't send them, because we don't really do anything exciting, but I like getting them. Got my first of the year yesterday from old college friends who I only tend to see at weddings and christenings and until the divorces start I think we're pretty much done with those for a while.

This year I will be including a change of address note in my cards (hurrah!!!), so I suppose I could add some detail to that. But what> As I said, we're pretty dull...

Stockingsofdinosaurs · 06/12/2006 16:15

I don't need to do one as my mum writes one for everyone on my side, with 3 kids and 7 grandchildren there's not room to write more than a sentence about each person. It's usually very funny though as she's a proper writer type thing.
DH's family are such a bunch of dullards I've only just plucked up the motivation to invite them all for a New Year's Day lunch (we moved house this summer and some of them still haven't met DS let alone visited here because they never have any parties or DO ANYTHING vaguely sociable.)
Sidetracked rant over.

expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 16:20

Yeah, probably, suedo, that's why I don't bother w/that, either. I thought maybe it'd be a way to edit out extraneous stuff that doesn't pertain to the recipient.

I handwrite a little note.

For the people back in the US, however, I write a real letter.

sunnysideup · 06/12/2006 16:22

ok to anyone who sends one, (and I say DON'T) but if you insist, just make sure you don't write it in the third person as if someone is 'reporting' on you "Horatia and Hugo had a busy year, what with having to live in a tent in the City so that they could work those precious extra hours in the day to fund the three nannies they need for each of their children"
That's the worst crime of all in my view, so pretentious it makes me want to be sick. Write it as if you are writing an actual letter and that's probably enough for me to keep the bacon and eggs down

Whizzz · 06/12/2006 16:26

NOOOOO - I got one today....shudder. I have not spoken to this person (ex colleague) for at least 10 years. I did actually wince as I read how great her house / kids / cat / dog / holiday / job / hubby was

expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 16:31

Why not lay the guilt trip on her, Whizz? Just for fun. Get good and pissed first.

Then, get your thinking cap on and think of the funniest thing that ever happened to you.

Start writing! Don't do it on the PC, do it by hand.

Tell her about the cult you've joined - Scientology, Krishna, etc. - and how it's changed your life. Enclose some literature, even.

Then explain, kindly, how you're in a place, spiritually, where you cannot accept written communication from 'outsiders' anymore, but if she'd like to join you, either in the cult or just, say, on the astral plane, she's more than welcome.

maycontainstress · 06/12/2006 16:35

Oh, gosh. I never knew they were so popular.

I had one from an ex boss a couple of years ago and it was basically 'we are busier, happier, richer than you, read it and weep, bitch'. I dislike the idea of it. God knows there's enough work to be done writing a card without going into all that. A type written letter going into all the ins and outs of a duck's arse go straight into the recycling. For those I'm interested in or see regularly, I already know these things, d'uh.

sunchowder · 06/12/2006 16:38

I don't know how I feel about them. They sure do seem to be an emotional issue here though!!! I would think it boils down to how anyone feels about someone bragging I guess--I don't even know that it is bragging is it? I don't send them by the way, I don't send a damn thing out.

poinsettydog · 06/12/2006 16:39

Round robins - no, I would never never write one 'cause they pong of cheese.

Round robins - yes, I would love love love to receive them 'cause they pong of cheese and would provide lorts of entertainment.

Unfortunately I have only ever received one in my life (that I remember anyway)

Whizzz · 06/12/2006 16:40

LOL - I mean it is nice to hear from her but its just so impersonal. I wouldn't even mind if she'd added a line at the end saying "Anyway, I hope you are well" !!

suedonim · 06/12/2006 16:41

Oh lord, I'd never send a letter that contained anything irrelevant to the recipient. Now that would be rude. And I don't write in the third person either, it's in my usual style.

I did get a RR one year which made me lol. Each member of the family writes their own para. The teenage son had written 'I haven't done anything this year so this is all I'm writing.'

twelvedaysofchristmas · 06/12/2006 16:42

WAAAHHHHAAAA. I would LOVE to do that. We get the round robin from DH's family in Australia though. Don't think he'd be too happy if I took the piss out of them. Oh well.

mrsratty · 06/12/2006 16:44

I get one for someone who used to live in my house. It's no wonder the previous owners didn't give the woman her new adress. The woman doesn't seem to be able to let go of her son and in her last letter seemed very happy that her son had split up with his live in girlfriend and was now back home where he belongs with mummy!!!

expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 16:44

I'd take the piss out of my own family if they sent me tosh like that, twelve. Wouldn't hesitate. But then, they'd expect that outta me .

bundle · 06/12/2006 16:54

Whizzz: the ultimate revenge: send it to Simon Hoggart

twelvedaysofchristmas · 06/12/2006 17:08

Yes my OWN family would. DH's wouldn't be too happy.

bctmum · 06/12/2006 17:37

still love these letters - just super to hear from friends and hear their good news or to remember with respect the difficult things that happened.

katierocket · 06/12/2006 17:44

No, they're naff, naff, naff. Loved the simon hoggart book.