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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:
BahHunkBug · 06/12/2006 21:37

I don't think we receive them. My mum and dad do. They get two which are particularly brilliant - one for its naive bragging, the other for its self-deprecating air of useless joviality.

I send pics of the boys to people who will keep them on the fridge/kitchen windowsill/mantlepiece - older relatives, usually. Am just printing some out now, in fact

Waswondering · 06/12/2006 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SlightlyMadSanta · 06/12/2006 22:02

Whats a Round Robin?

expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 22:06

They're like blogs - compacted.

I knew one gal who printed scanned in pictures her three-year-old supposedly drew.

Of course, he could put Picasso to shame.

So I drunkenly emailed her, politely informing her that it's pretty insulting to assume others are so stupid they'd actually believe her kid drew that.

She wasn't happy .

So?

moondog · 06/12/2006 22:10

Wow WW.
My father is doing that for some very old men in his home village (Beddgelert)
He reads us excerpts which are by turn heartbreaking and hilarious.

Waswondering · 06/12/2006 22:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

deaconblue · 06/12/2006 22:18

AAAAAAAAAAAAArgh I hate them. Although it is amusing when my sister-in-law's mother-in-law (work that one out) sends one to us and we appear in it!

moondog · 06/12/2006 22:20

Fascinating!

The ambassador at the time of my parents being there called his dog 'Pectopah'.
Actually with Cyrillic script,it reads as 'restaurant' but the chap deliberately pronounced it the wrong way.

How bloody insulting is that?????

Waswondering · 06/12/2006 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moondog · 06/12/2006 22:41

Late 80s when things started opening up.
Probably four or so on from your cahp.

Waswondering · 06/12/2006 22:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moondog · 06/12/2006 22:47
Grin
SantasFattymumma · 06/12/2006 22:50

what the flying feck are round robins? i thout you were all discussing fat winter birds.

JanH · 06/12/2006 23:04

Rosa, did you get fingered anyway???

(Who are the secret Guardianistas in your family circle? Did you find out?)

Gingerbear · 06/12/2006 23:08

I have done one:

"I am up the duff"
"DD started school in September"
"DH has spoken about boxing with Gordon Ramsey and Russell Crowe"

do you think that is too much?

Gingerbear · 06/12/2006 23:10

A round robin is a synopsis of your family's year - a letter you send out with all the Christmas cards.
Usually involves a lot of bragging about Algernon learning the tuba and Floella gaining a black belt in Karate.

fortyplus · 06/12/2006 23:14

NO WAY!

By all means do a letter on the computer but personalise it to the recipient and ask questions about them.

My parents had one insufferably boring friend who thought her family were so fantastic that she put 'super' in fron of everything...

super holiday
super exam results
super new car
super meal out

One year I counted 19 'supers' in her letter!!!

Silly cow

Stockingsofdinosaurs · 06/12/2006 23:19

Surely writing about a novice tuba player in your home is not bragging, it's a cry for help? I still don't see where the line between bragging and update/news is.

Queenmummy · 06/12/2006 23:24

I think you are all mean! I for one love reading these letters and really enjoy catching up on people's news. It has to be said though, that none of my friends actually write them (who needs to these days with email?!) - it is something more usual in my parents' generation I think. I love reading the letters my mum gets from old family friends - I look forward to it and ask to see them! I do sometimes cringe at what my mother says about us in her letters though.....

Stockingsofdinosaurs · 06/12/2006 23:25

Oh shit forgot about that, haven't vetted my mum's this year.

fortyplus · 06/12/2006 23:28

If you've got the 'Book People' catalogue issue 151 there are 2 books full of funny round robins on page 20

expatinscotland · 06/12/2006 23:50

My mum's had 4 of them already. She said, in her most derisive tone, the one that you don't realise she's being derisive unless you know her, 'How gauche. I mean, who cares? I cannot remember what I did w/them.'

mrsSnoah · 07/12/2006 00:20

DREADFUL !

However our family look forward to the one another family send us every year just so as we can all get together and groan loudly as Mum reads it out loud to us.
This particular family are SO up themselves it's painful to listen to. Even now they are all grown up and have left home the Mother still boasts about all their beauty and talent!!
Despite protests, mum would never send a comedy one back.

If you MUST send one, make sure its modest and humorous PLEASE or you never know, they might be laughhing like we do !

fortyplus · 07/12/2006 00:20

My mum did one last year - just for the 'super' woman!! She made it all up and wondered if she'd notice!

fortyplus · 07/12/2006 00:21

x posted!