Holiday Cards

[PrincessFiona]

OK...another holiday poll. After reading Nellie's post about getting out holiday cards, I just have to ask:

[PrincessFiona]

OK...and while we're at it...does anyone here do the form letter update thingy? We used to do this I'm embarassed to admit it, but I really loved writing those things and Thomas loved reading them.

I haven't sent out Christmas cards in a looooooong time.....I mean to...I just am so disorganized!!!

kris

[SueC]

I've got the cards sitting on my desk, we had a family photo that turned out pretty good this summer so we're sending that out. This year we are actually in it, usually it is just the kids and the dog. We figure nobody really cares what we look like, they really just want to see if our kids are cute and how much they've grown! I'm ahead of schedule so far, often times my cards go out AFTER the New Year. Everyone that knows me isn't remotely surprised to get my card a month later than everyone else's. This year I'm going to dazzle them with an early mailing--I'm just waiting to find out the sex of the baby so I can possibly sign it with the new baby's name to let everyone know that we are expecting and what we are having. We personally don't do the letters, but I like receiving them as long as they aren't overly "braggy". My dad sends a funny one out every year and usually someone comes away a little insulted, but its all in good fun and I love reading his annual letter!

[houseelf]

I'll be the first to admit that I send out geeky form letters. We send a ton of these out to family and friends because most of them live so far away. It is a difficult exercise to write one of these which really reflect the true happenings in life and are upbeat enough to pass as holiday greetings without sounding sappy or boastful. Seriouslly, this should be a project for a writer's workshop in some university.

I, for one, love receiving cards, photos, and letters, but I'm a sentamental ol' girl.

Kelly

[Auspicious]

I love reading people's form letters, actually. When I go to my parents' house I even enjoy reading the letters from their friends--people who are near-strangers to me. Is that weird? And I don't mind when parents brag about their kids a little bit. I think the good ones are definitely the ones where people put a little emotion in them--say what they feel happy or disappointed or relieved about and why. The ones that are just a laundry list of activities ("And then we went on vacation. And then Billy started second grade. And then Bob had back surgery . . .") are always disappointing even if the people had a really good year.

But I guess since I don't write one of these letters, I can't complain.

I like reading the letters too. I know that some people complain about them, but I think it is a really nice way to keep in touch with people who are out of town or that we don't usually get to see.
As long as the letter isn't a laundry list, as someone mentioned, or a "of course, Bobby was accepted at Harvard with a personal invitation from the university president..." bragfest, I enjoy them.
Julie, I enjoyed reading the letters and cards my parents received, too!

This year, in the interest of time, I think we are going to write a little blurb. Probably something with bullet points (I've been writing too many briefing papers ) that will fit on the back of the photo greeting card. We'll copy it on red paper and maybe use those zigzag scissors to cut it out and paste on the back. Hopefully people will see it......

But first we need a picture....

[mommax3]

I always send out cards, mostly because I enjoy receiving them so much! I enjoy the letters, too, even the ones that are over the top, because they make me laugh. (I also read the cards/letters that my mom and my in-laws get, even if I don't see them until six months later! They actually save them for me. ) I have written letters the past few years, but this year, for the first time in a while, I am just having a short little paragraph printed on our photo cards. I am trying to make a conscious effort to simplify things this year so that I can focus on what I truly enjoy instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to make a "perfect" holiday according to some standard that I somehow absorbed growing up. I want to enjoy my family more this year.

Sally

[DCJenn]

I sent my first form letter last year, mostly because we didn't find out until mid-December whether Rick was accepted for the fellowship so for the sake of time- I was able to say "we're going to be back in DC" as opposed to "we're going to some God Forsaken Army Post in the middle of East BF, as yet unknown."

This year I'm sending a picture that I took in Italy so- I may or may not do the letter.

I love reading the letters although my parent's have gotten some wierd ones over time- like the one that talked about their son's drug addiction, subsequent treatment and eventual arrest- I mean really, if that's the best they can say about this kid...

And of course there was the one that announced that one of my father's fraternity brothers was gay and divorcing his wife of 20-odd years.

and there is the annual one from my aunt and uncle that if you were to read it, you would think that my cousin is in fact, the Second Coming (or First if you're Jewish). UGH

Deep soothing yogic breathing and finding that holiday spirit...

Jenn

[Meenah]

I haven't sent any cards in a few years. Maybe this year. I am Christian, Jory is Jewish, it is a second marriage, anyone we care about we keep in touch with. Am I looking for excuses?
Luanne

[Michele]

Luanne...you made me laugh...

anyone we care about we keep in touch with

Russ said the same thing!!

Some day I'm going to do a form letter with the real story in parentheses next to the words I've dreamed up for public consumption...

Example: "We love our new home, and I'm more contented than I've ever been." (Thanks to massive doses of antidepressants and the fact that I don't have a real job, but get to sit around pretenting to be a novelist.) "Mike's enjoying his new practice and his patients love him." (Despite the fact he failed his National boards the first time and had to take them again and worried for 3 months about how to tell his father he'd failed and, incidentally, is also taking massive doses of antidepressants.)

I don't have the balls to do it this year, but give me time.

[Meenah]

Elizabeth,
You made me laugh so hard I spit coffee all over the keyboard!!!!!!
Wouldn't you just love to send a letter like that ? I know I would.
Luanne

[Meenah]

P.S.
You are a novelist as long as you are thinking about writing the novel.
Luanne

[Phoebe]

If any of you are writing the form letters, send them to me, I love reading them no matter how ridiculous they are. If I had anything to say besides we moved, we had a new kid and hubby likes his new job I might think about it.

I like sending holiday cards every year, except getting them done is a PITA! We have been too poor and now too cheap to get cards professionally done so the last three holiday seasons, I have set out to make the perfect greeting card out of a photo of my children. Every year they go out late because I try to envision the perfect holiday backdrop to capture the beauty of the season and my child! The first year Avery puked on her sweater half-way through.

Last year, I couldn't get her to sit still for a picture if my life depended on it and it took four separate photo sessions and a couple rolls of film to get a half way decent shot. This year we have a new camera we thought would make the difference. DH and I took a lot of preparation to get the scene right, he bathed Avery while I got Ella ready. Immediately following her bath, Avery marched into her sister's room naked and pooped on the floor. Ok this is a bad sign! We must look like stupid idiots jumping up and down and talking in wierd voices trying to get our children to sit and smile at the same time. Our best shot has Avery doing a straddle position and Ella has a rug burned nose from tipping over!

Next year I am opting for the studio shots!

Jennifer