How do you send greetings to friends and family at Christmas? Traditional Christmas cards, phone calls, emails...
or do you send the dreaded circular Christmas newsletter?

You know, the ones that make people like me, with a bunch of average, normal kids, feel totally inadequate. They list the sender's children's splendid achievements. They give details of exotic foreign holidays, and amazing career promotions etc. So by the time you get to the end of it, you are ready to hang a sign around your neck, labelled, "loser" !

I have a relative that sends out such a circular letter, and they only personalise the letter by changing our names at the top of it.

I found this site, about some of the worst circular letters:
Readers share most notorious Christmas letters

Here's a couple of examples:

When I was a newlywed and not yet a parent, we received a card that said, "If you don't have kids, you won't understand paragraph 4, 6, 7 or 8."

My family actually received a Christmas letter about how they accidentally ran over their new puppy with the mini van and now the puppy has three legs (they said this thinking that was funny.) The letter also stated that the father was teaching the 7-year-old to hunt deer. Being an animal lover, I felt sick to my stomach after reading this letter. How depressing.

So, has anyone sent or received circular Christmas newletters? Or do you just stick to the traditional card? dg

I call and/or see those I want to send greetings to (except for my friends here ).

Traditional card.

I would send a card circular if didn't hate the idea of telling people details of what I and my family have been doing over the last twelve months. (They might tell police and social services, and that's the last thing we need at Christmas )

Traditional cards, selected according to the recipient for appropriateness. Some who are able to appreciate a handwritten note and a picture of our latest great-granddaughter get one. I agree that those circular newsletters are a tiresome and impersonal waste of postage.

I used to send tons of Christmas Cards, but have not done so in a few years. This year I will e-card, e-mail etc... then in 2008 will once again return to sending cards with as much of an "Xmas letter" scrawled in tiny letters inside as I can manage.

A few traditional cards, some e-cards and many phone calls.

Although my traditional card recipients list seems to be shrinking more each year as do ones received.

I always send traditional cards. And Roog, mine seem to be shrinking, too.

Traditional, hand made. I made each person an individual card. It takes a lot of time but ives me great satisfaction.

Just to add to this post, how many of you send thank you notes after Christmas? I have always insisted my children send a note even though they see the sender regularly.

quote:

Just to add to this post, how many of you send thank you notes after Christmas? I have always insisted my children send a note even though they see the sender regularly.

I agree, Jenny. Thank you notes are a chore for children, but I explain to them that this person took the time to think of you, and make or buy something they thought you would like. So the least you can do is write them a note to acknowledge that.
In recent years I have reached a compromise with my children. I divide up the thank you notes to be written, between the three children, and one child writes a slightly longer note to the person, on behalf of all three, but all of them sign it.

It's lovely that you send handmade cards. I have a friend that regularly sends me these, and I always appreciate, and cherish them.

Over the years I've become VERY lax about Christmas cards and have only sent to a few very special people. I'm going to try hard to get them out this year though!

I've thought of doing the dreaded "letter", but probably won't, cause everyone close to me knows everything that happened this year anyway! My mom is doing a letter, which I'll be typing up for her tomorrow, and her letter will cover all the important stuff for the relatives!

Cards - traditional not so much. But all hand addressed with personal notes included.