Does anybody do annual newsletters with their christmas cards? Need help!

[LaMonsterWeaselwolf]

I need help! Have loads of family friends and relatives abroad since my family emigrated to the UK when I was young. As a family we are really bad at keeping touch and my dad has wanted to set a newsletter up for years but doesn't know where to start. None of our NZ rellies know my sister and I don't live at home anymore or anything about our respective DPs, or that I'm pregnant - so I have come round to the idea of a letter too!!

Given that they haven't heard from us in a while, would it make sense to do a family newsletter from my Dad's PoV (which I can help him with) for this year - which includes myself and my sister's new addresses and news about us. Then next year separate off so DP and I can do our own and tell them about all the baby stuff and not have it dominate Dad's letter?

Or should we do a separate one from the start this year? (and I'll still give Dad a hand with his.)

you mean you are going to do a Round Robin

hehehehhaaaaheehaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

look

come on, I can't just turn up in four years time with a kid - they'll be confuuuused. And I can't be arsed to ring them all.

I know what CD means - they are not overly popular ... but, in certain circumstances, they can be useful.
I'd go straight in with one from you and your DP - that way it's clear that you have moved out and have your own 'situation' now.

Simon Hoggart has written a couple of books that you may find useful.

No, don't do it. Just send a card from Mr and Mrs Monster and baby monster (born XX/XX/XX). If you really want to keep in touch, maybe enclose a short hand written note or pick up the phone. I culled my Christmas card list last year. Obviously, first to go were anyone who had ever sent me a round robin and then just the rest that I had no interest in seeing again. Very liberating.

I just bin round robin letters without reading them I'm afraid.

If the people aren't close enough to be arsed to write a couple of lines about major events, they aren't close enough for me to care about their little Bendict winning the fencing championship/little Poncerina doing her Grade 2 piano.

Okay - what about I do the cards just from us, pop in a print of the scan photo and hand write a paragraph about when the baby is due/what I got for my degree and the career I have ended up in/what DP does.

Since those are the big things for us this year.

That might be better anyway, I'll ramble less.

at round robin.
I got one of those last year - oh, how we judged.
DON'T DO IT.
You are better than that.

Oh, sorry, yes, what you just said - hand write a wee bit.

I wouldn't bother with a scan photo personally. Just write a little bit in the card saying you graduated/got married/are having a baby.

I guess older relatives like this type of stuff - not sure about younger ones though?

Do you not email them at all? I guess it depends on how much contact you want to have with them.

Apart from my cousins they're all old/not really ok with computers. They will be interested and want to know and pleased that I've made the effort to tell them, which is why I want to do it.

We really have very little contact with each other, (except that they send us huge round robin's at christmas!!) but it's something I'd like to change which is the other reason I want to do it. Would like this DC to know they have relatives even if they don't get to go visit them etc.

Do you think they really care what you got for your degree, what you or your dp does?

I think this is key to think about

I mean how would it feel if someone sent you this

I am happy to announce that Peregrine and I are expecting our first baby next year. In case anyone was wondering I got a double first in maths and river-widening. I am currently working as a window cleaner while I await my first offer of a job measuring ox-bow lakes which surely can't be far away. Fortunately Peregrine is coining it in at Lehman's despite only getting a Desmond from some cruddy red-brick universitey. Oh hang on, that's the doorbell. Peregrine, why are you home early? What's in that box? Back in a mo...

CD

PMSL at CD.

CD!! No, really most of these people are ancient and are blissfully happy if they get remembered. (I probably shouldn't admit to that should I??)

The rest are my cousins and aunts and uncles who my parents never talk to and therefore don't know - but are related closely enough that it would be rude not to tell them I am expecting (even if I don't bother with the rest for them)

I quite like reading the ones my mum gets but I am nosey

I hate them with a passion but must balance that hate out with the hours of laughter they provide.

(Peresphone is doing so well with her country dancing and Rupert is now taking Japanese lessons and has decided that his long term ambition is to be a forensic archeaologist. His second birthday is coming up soon........)

but.....

My Mum who is 81 and who has never heard the term round robin gets a couple and really loves them. She thinks it's so nice that people have taken the time to sit down and write to her and loves knowing what's going on with everyone.

I really haven't the heart to tell her that there are probably a couple of hundered of the same letter flying round the country.

So perhaps pick your recipients wisely if you don't want to get the p**s ripped out of you