Ahh, that wonderful tradition of summarizing your life the past year and sending that out to everyone you know, is finally here!  It’s been said that people either hate or love getting annual holiday letters.  I’m a little suspicious of the people that love them.

The letters seem a bit “wrong” and in poor taste.  At no other time would a press release from me about my wonderful life be appropriate, so why in a holiday card?  It seems like a short-cut to building a relationship through regular communication and time together. If people were interested in minute details of our life, they would have already heard it through our relationship.  If they haven’t, maybe they’re not interested?

I have felt that the old-fashioned etiquette of sending people personalized cards acknowledging the recipients’ life is best.  It reinforces the relationships you are maintaining and building.  Last year, one of my cards included a long heart-felt, hand-written letter to a friend offering support with his recent divorce.

The big event for me this year has been having my daughter in February.  Therefore, any card I’m receiving should perhaps acknowledge the birth of my daughter!  But no one will get a letter from me announcing this as they would already know that if they are in my life!  As for any trials and tribulations, they would already know what is appropriate for our level of friendship!  Sending out a letter outlining all this would be trying to replace the effort involved in having a relationship, where mutual events and feelings are shared as they are happening.

One could easily argue that holiday letters are not even good manners!  Since when was talking only about ourselves good manners?  As much as I like to write and share, I don’t plan to ever write the holiday letter and try not to groan too much when I receive the fine print and am compelled to read them.

If you do write them, try to at least be real and refrain from bragging about your wonderful life.  I wonder what President Obama would say in his letter?  “Guess what, I became president!”  Top that.  If you announce your promotion, you might depress the recipient who was laid off.  It’s easy to not be sensitive in generic, one-size-fits-all holiday letters.  Maybe try to be entertaining and funny if the reader is spending precious time reading your letter!

Best wishes to all who receive and write them, but especially to those that receive them.