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Christmas Letters: The Good, the Bad, and the Bragging

Posted by Norski • 12/13/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: christmas letter, communication, families, holidays, letters, the human condition

The Christmas letter, in American culture at least, is usually a way for families and friends to keep in touch with each other.

It's supposed to be an annual update of what's happened: quite a good idea in this mobile society.

Then, there are the other kind of Christmas letters, a combination of bragging and wishful thinking that sets the reader's teeth on edge (like the one at loonfootfalls.blogspot.com/2008/12/one-of-those-christmas-letters.html ).

My family hasn't gotten a 'brag' letter - and I don't mind being left out.

Before the questions, one very important point. The "Christmas letter" is a cultural thing - it's got about as much to do with a religious holiday as re-runs of "Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol" ( www.imdb.com/title/tt0123179/ ).

If you don't live in America, is the Christmas letter part of family life? What other ways do non-related families use, to stay in touch?

If Christmas letters happen where you are, do you get the bragging sort? How often?

User Comments

12/13/08

TheWriteShadow

Hmm... I feel really out of the loop. My family never partook in writing these letters, and I actually didn't even know they existed until I met my husband.

Anyway, I now know a lot of people who write this letters, but they don't call them "Christmas Letters," they call them "End of the Year Letters." They are Christians, and they all avidly partake in Christmas activities, but they refer to this letter as more of a way of wrapping up the year. The family is scattered across America, and so at the end of the year, they simply write a letter which summarizes what has happened during the year. I suppose there is some bragging to these letters, but not really.

Anyway, now I'm curious if anyone else belongs to a community that does "End of the Year Letters." Granted, they might be the same thing, but I think that might be why you're noticing that the writing of these letters don't really correlate with Christmas.

[reply]
1. 12/13/08
  
  Norski
  
  Thanks for the background.
  
  Where's 'here?'
  
  'End of the Year Letters' is more accurate - and a term I haven't run into. Until now.
2. 12/13/08
  
  TheWriteShadow
  
  "Here" is America. Hehe. I don't like to give out much more information than that.
12/13/08

Anok

Yeah, as an American We have only one family friend who does the Christmas letter type of thing.

We keep in touch by...keeping in touch all year long.

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12/13/08

Ryleigh

hahah I know several people who do the "Christmas Letters" and it drives me bat shit insane!! I mean come on! We haven't been in contact all year? And now you think i want to read a letter detailing how the year was??! Not only that, but everyone else gets the same letter? Geez, talk about self centered people who are pretending to care.

[reply]
12/18/08

SwedishSkier

Ha! I agree about the bragging letter and heard this woman talking about her batty aunt that use dto write a REAL letter. This gave me the idea to write a faux family letter. Please come play! I posted a discussion writing a faux family holiday letter.

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