For everyone who hates printed Christmas letters

[OldieMum]

Simon Hoggart gives us some extracts from the pick of the crop: \link{http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1369884,00.html\here}

Ha, we got one of those yesterday Issymum! They had actually had the grace to add two kisses in pen, but that was all. Makes life easy I guess

Honestly the friend with the kitchen story on her boast post is completely true. I can't give you the details as it would reveal her identity. Meanwhile what about realistic robins. Mine would have to say something like 'Well it's been another wonderful year at the Arabicas. Mr Arabica is studying full-time and thinking of dropping out as it's too tough for him, Arabica's pissed off with Mr A being a wimp, bored shless with doing all the childcare and all the f** housework, and meanwhile DS still poos his knickers on a daily basis. Here's a link to a bucket full of napisan and tomorrow I'll be writing my blog from my therapist's waiting room where I will be presenting myself for an emergency session.
Innit.

See below for mine, Arabica. I could illustrate it with a fetching photo of my fleabitten cleavage.

Issy, you PROMISED me a round robin! And you have to make sure it contains information not posted on mumsnet at the time, to maintain my interest levels.
hahahahahahahah how about that for a challenge

Oh no, cards with photo of sender's family on front. Bad taste!

You lot are horrid

I haven't sent a RR 'cos it's naff.

This meant I had to hand write little notes in all my cards instead and it took ages.

Now you're telling me pics of my beautiful kids are naff too.

AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

I'm never sending any of you a Christmas card.

What have you people started? I've never received a RR before and then today I got 2. Stop it I tell you!!!!!!!!!!

Martha I did send photos of mine to several people who haven't seen them in a while and I got Christmas Smiler stamps of them too...

I'm struggling with this I have to say. There's a big difference between a complete boast-fest type letter and one bringing you up to speed with what's happened this year. I like RR letters and don't think they're naff because I like the people sending them - I want to hear how they're doing and I love seeing pictures of their children. I send out a very short note with mine (with personal note at the bottom) with an up to date picture of the kids on it. What's wrong with that?

I get a couple like that Rudolph and have no problem at all - great to hear news of people you may not see much of now, force of circumstance.
BUT I also get RRs that are blatant boast-fests too, and ones that purport to have been written by their dog/newborn child/surly teen who hasn't a clue who we are.

ok guys we send RR letters how do you tell others about DS without boasting??????

I am really not sure how to word it now.

Surely something like:

"ds is fine - enjoying nursery/school/college and playing football/swimming/going to music classes in his spare time"

can't be deemed as being boastful?

I like receiving RR letters, I enjoy reading them and thus keeping in touch with people. I even read the letters my parents get from their friends.

We usually send an RR letter, but didn't this year because we felt we have little newsworthy to report! Our only major change this year is that between us dh and I have lost over 7 stone (brag, brag), and become fit, healthy-eating gym fanatics ... and we didn't think most people would be interested to read that!

But do you know I do have a problem with this English reserve, and this idea that it is so very, very wrong to boast about our kids. Let's be honest all of us are proud of our kids and their achievements, and we do want to tell others about them so they can share in our joy.

I just don't see what's wrong with that?!

I've only written one because of this thread - I just love irritating people. It goes a bit like this:

So what a year! We have been terribly busy being hugely successful and producing the perfect child and therefore don't have time to write to you individually.

We had a lovely day out to a local industrial island.

Had a baby.

Spent rest of the year looking after her, watching telly, doing washing and going to bathroom.

its riveting !!!

Look, those of you who like sending RRs and those of us who like reading them, please don't be put off by the court of mumsnet! Who cares what other people think anyway - if you send a nice letter out in good faith I'm sure all the people you really care about will enjoy reading it and feel more in touch with you as a result - and surely that's the whole point?
I've said before I'd MUCH rather get a RR than a card that says nothing at all. And the scribble I've managed in my cards this year doesn't amount to enough to keep in touch with my friends - personally I think doing a good RR letter probably takes MORE time and effort. And what's wrong with photos? I love getting photos of my friends kids - last year I made a card with a photo of ours (inside!) and it took me a lot more care and effort than I've managed this year. I also received a couple like that and I really liked them - more personal than something bought from a shop. So there.
Maybe the point is how you feel about the recipients. I don't seem to get cards from people I don't care about, so I'm always pleased with what I receive, and the more news the better!

Roisin ... cos its ineffably dull for the recipient in 99% of the cases

...but not as dull as 'to X happy christmas love Y' surely? Even if its dull and boastful that provides some entertainment value (e.g. the kitchen fitting saga) The ones my parents receive tend to fit that category, but then perhaps if they were my friends rather than theirs I'd find them interesting.
oh, and I meant how you feel about the writer, not the recipient of course. Or maybe I'm just more tolerant of the people I care about

Elliot, that's really well put. I think the thing I find frankly bizarre is that so many MNetters get Christmas cards from people they don't even like. I don't, I get them from friends, so if they're proud to tell me that little Johnny was captain of the tiddlywinks team at school, I'm pleased for them .

Yeah pictures rock! But not just of the kids of the parents too so you can see how old they look.

Thanks guys

I am going to send it but I have to put in about DS medal that he got last week at Fencing tournement because he would be so sad and upset if I didn't mention it.

There are 3 photos of him too on the same A4 piece of paper.

These RR letters are to be sent to friends/relatives all round the world and in UK

And if they find it boring then they can bin it can't they. It is only 10 lines long so hardly a long essay{size 14 font}

I have put in about his DX as people would have heard it on family grapevine and like chinese whispers it is not always accurate. DH and I disagree about putting it in but I feel that I want people to know the truth and not what the grapevine says IYSWIM. DH says it is like saying about "aunt Agnes and her piles" {we don't know an Agnes btw}

We do get letters back again saying they look forward to our RR and the news of DS.

And I agree a card with just a signature is a bit boring if that is all you get every year with nothing else between times. Why send cards to people you don't like?

Obviously relatives are different as you still have to send a card to a relative you can't stand.

Kanga, yours sounds like the sort of letter anyone would love to receive. Good for your ds.
It's the unsolicited moans about tiny size of corporate bonus and inadequacy of Christmas gifts from clients that get my goat. And yes, I am surprised to still be on this person's card list, I'd have thought we were far too underachieving to still register on the radar.

MariNativityPlay thanks

I have read my post back and it sounds very rude so sorry I sound really cocky

Oooh, I'd better confess! I DO send a picture of my kids. I print it onto address labels and include the message "X & Y say happy xmas" (great names eh?). THat takes quite some effort and I enjoy doing it but that's it, its stuck in the card and gets chucked away after Xmas.
The RR I got the other day is one of those boastful but boring ones and she always sends a photo of her kids but separate and with peel-off sticky stuff on the back because obviously everyone wants to keep a photo of her kids!
I got No 2 of our usual crop of 3 today. This was mostly taken up with a lock-by-lock account of the writer's 3 month narrow boat holiday including a list of items that got stuck in the propellor, yawn.
It isn't true that I don't care about either of these people, I do, but I can't see why they think everyone needs a really boring and detailed account of their lives and I'm convinced they write them for themselves as an annual ritual/catharsis.
I still don't understand why they haven't noticed that they don't get the same number back that they send so what do they think is so special about them? Maybe they actually think they do it and others don't simply because they happen to be more organised and enjoy writing, I suppose that's a possibility.
Mind you, one of them asked for my email address last January, I sent her an email and she never responded, too busy planning the next RR!