I’m very sad to report that I have received no holiday letters so far this year. Not a single one. Sure I’ve received some very nice holiday cards, but I really miss those letters.
Although I’ve heard that some people find holiday letters to be braggadocious—yes, that’s a word—I. LOVE. THEM.
Why? They’re a one-page vignette of what’s been happening in your life this year or over the past couple of years.
Sure, we all have Facebook and I guess I could scroll through pages and pages of what-you-had-for-breakfast posts to find the really juicy nuggets, but I won’t. Our lives are so busy that, even with social media, it’s hard to keep up.
One of my favorite holiday letters ever arrived when I was a teenager. I remember it fondly: A family friend shared that one of his daughter’s IQ was outstripped only by her ski length of 180.
Bragalicious—that one I made up—maybe, but also intriguing. You see, my family didn’t ski. I knew nothing of ski lengths and so the letter taught me a little something. And frankly, I see no harm in bragging about your children. All four of his kids were mentioned in the letter and we all know that children benefit from hearing positive messages about themselves. As far as bragging goes, have some fun with it.
If you haven’t sent out your holiday cards yet this year, feel free to send me a letter update. Even an email update! I’d love to hear how your work is going, how the kids are doing in school, what exciting trips you took or are planning. Teach me something. Share your truth. Entertain me!
If you need some tips on crafting a good holiday letter, here ya go. Or maybe just repurpose part of mine:
“Brian is in his third year as a senior software engineer at InsideVault. The company is doing so well that we’re thinking of buying a personal space station next year.
“Meanwhile, Kate is saving the world, one foster child at a time, as a board member for Child Advocates of Silicon Valley and is working on the next Great American Novel in her spare time.” (j/k)
What’s new with your family? Inquiring minds want to know!
Cheers,
Photo Credit: DaPuglet via Compfight cc
