Why do people send Christmas newsletters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They seem to be answering questions nobody asked. Nobody asked what every member of their family is up to.

If you don't want to know what family members or friends have been up to, then don't read them before you throw them away. Just toss, unopened. Problem solved.

If the people you send these notes to are so out of the loop you might need to ask yourself why they are still on your list.

Exactly. If you care, you must send something back to them. They spent the time to write a multipage letter and stood in line at the post office to buy a stamp.

Who stands in line to buy a stamp at the post office? You can get them at the grocery store, online, or use the self service machines. But they don't require a return letter they are mostly self serving. The writer assumes you really want to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love these letters! We get a few per year from good friends who live out of town or abroad.

Far more people did them before social media. It was typical in my parents' circle of relatives and friends.

I *think* this will die out - I’m 55 and only one of my contemporaries sends a 2 page letter front and back, no paragraphs - just a wall o’ text.

Christmas newsletters seemed be rise and peak in popularity circa mid 1990s when tech savvy boomers got home computers with color printers and had a great time selecting festively-bordered papers and coordinating envelopes.

My FIL would have been one who’d happily compose and print a newsletter with photos from his home office circa 1995.

I know because as a frequent thrifter, I see packs of these unopened sets!

My late parents used to receive an annual Larlo Smith Family Calendar - from long ago neighbors - the couple would hand draw a calendar page FOR EACH MONTH & they draw or write notable events on certain days:

6/10/84: Family Vacation, Iowa
12/11/84 : Audrey 1st @ AAU Skate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We love them! This one guy sends a two page, size 11 font single spaced letter and even details every medical issue they had and everything they ate on trips and every animal they saw on hikes. We do a dramatic reading of it once we get it - it kicks off Christmas for us.

We had a relative who sent a letter like this. We looked forward to it every year. Then two years ago it suddenly stopped. DH especially was very sad.

[Anonymous]

Send it back after proofreading and corrections.

[Anonymous]

Every year this question is asked in December/January and every year I can only conclude that OP is GREEN EYED ENVY over what she read and so has to come anonymously on DCUM to crap all over it to feel better about herself.

OP, man up. Write in red letters- "Why did you send this? I don't care. I'm not jealous. I'm NOT" and then send it back. Quit whining to us, loser.

[Anonymous]

If someone writes you a handwritten multi page letter, customized to you, then yes, you need to send back a reply or it is rude.

If someone sends a Christmas newsletter in lieu of a Christmas card, then you treat it exactly like a Christmas card, which in my family means we read it, then clip it on a garland thing with clips where we put all the Christmas cards we receive. Then when we cleanup the Christmas decor in January we put all the cards in the recycling bin.

[Anonymous]

Agree it's also rapidly dying out.

Some relatives of ours used to write a very detailed newsletter that was occasionally cringeworthy. And we always liked reading between lines, wondering whe one child isn't as discussed as the other children or why the grandkids from that child are mentioned but not a word about the child and spouse. Things like that.

But it is dying out. I will miss it even if I never wrote one myself.

[Anonymous]

In the age of social media, why do people write anonymous posts that reek of judgement and helplessness? Do they want a real answer? Do we just offer more horrible stories about people doing things they don’t like to stoke their ego?

Can someone explain this? How do we respond?



(OP, people often don’t like in others what they don’t like in themselves and/or often complain about the very thing they do themselves. Maybe start there.)

[Anonymous]

It's not that complicated. The ones I receive are from ppl that are not posting updates on SM. So the info is not redundant. In terms of "what to do with it" I read/skim and then toss in recycling. Maybe reach back with a TY text.

It's not that complicated. you don't have to display it in your home forever. It's a piece of paper.

[Anonymous]

If there is someone in your life that hasn't been in the loop about your family news and WANTS to know the years news - call them. I guarantee that the person would appreciate hearing what's going on and share their news with you. Like you care. Otherwise these newsletters are just narcissistic open love letters to one self.

No one wants this trash.

[Anonymous]

Just throw it away if you don't like it. Good lord.

I like reading them. Mostly because they are often unintentionally funny and navel gazing. Also they are relic of the past because they used to be so common. Now much of that navel gazing is done in real time on social media.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the age of social media, why do people write anonymous posts that reek of judgement and helplessness? Do they want a real answer? Do we just offer more horrible stories about people doing things they don’t like to stoke their ego?

Can someone explain this? How do we respond?



(OP, people often don’t like in others what they don’t like in themselves and/or often complain about the very thing they do themselves. Maybe start there.)

That's a little paranoid. These letters are odd. People who get them don't know what is the right response. Normally if you get something in the mail, you respond. I am not sure that they were ever appreciated, but it's time to end it. Send a holiday card with a handwritten note that means something or call or dm or text.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just throw it away if you don't like it. Good lord.

I like reading them. Mostly because they are often unintentionally funny and navel gazing. Also they are relic of the past because they used to be so common. Now much of that navel gazing is done in real time on social media.

That's nice, you are mocking the senders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the age of social media, why do people write anonymous posts that reek of judgement and helplessness? Do they want a real answer? Do we just offer more horrible stories about people doing things they don’t like to stoke their ego?

Can someone explain this? How do we respond?



(OP, people often don’t like in others what they don’t like in themselves and/or often complain about the very thing they do themselves. Maybe start there.)

That's a little paranoid. These letters are odd. People who get them don't know what is the right response. Normally if you get something in the mail, you respond. I am not sure that they were ever appreciated, but it's time to end it. Send a holiday card with a handwritten note that means something or call or dm or text.

If you are not the only person in the world who has this problem, you're one of a very small handful. "People" generally know the appropriate response is nothing.

[Anonymous]

If you must right a holiday newsletter, make only one copy and save it for future self.