[nationalvelvet]

I have one friend that sends me a yearly Christmas Newsletter. It outlines everything she has been doing in the year and she gets her family to update what they do as well.

Now, she has a daughter-in-law, and grandchild, she updates what her married son is doing, as well as the daughter-in-law and the news of the grandchild.

Some parts I don't mind, but I tend to come away feeling slightly inadequate with my year (LOL)

She tends to update all of the successful study she has completed, and all that she has achieved.
She praises her daughter in law(which is a nice thing) but outlines all of the study and degrees the Daughter-in-law has acheived in the year(as well as being a great mum).

She outlines all the good (charitable) work she has done in the year.

My DH doesn't want to read them and hear the news. He tends to feel a bit dummer each year they add another Degree to their family or gone on another super holiday. Jealousy? I am not sure. Maybe more inadequacy on my behalf.
I am happy for them but it would be nice to hear of their struggles so we can identify with them, or at least, feel a bit more human.

What about you?
Do you like receiving these letters or do you write them to your friends?

Do you share your heartaches and struggles as well as your successes or just your successes?

My DH calls them "the Pride letters" LOL


eta

This post has been edited by lindenen: 13/12/2012, 11:58 AM

[PixieVee]

I am not a fan of this kind of letter at all. It just comes across as braggy and if I haven't spoken to you about these great things in the year why would someone think I'm interested?

I remember as kids my brother and I would wait with bated breath for one of my mum's friends yearly letters because they were so vomit inducingly funny.

[Julie3Girls]

I don't get them from friends, as most of my friends are local.

My SIL does tend to do one - she lives interstate, away from both sides of the family. So she does a yearly catch up letter, complete with photos.

I think it depends on how it is done. She has 3 kids, who are involved in things, they usually do one holiday a year. The letter contains everything, from what the kids are doing, to how the garden is growing, to health issues. It covers good and bad stuff, so I guess that makes it a bit less "braggy"

[amabanana]

When we were kids my Dad's sister used to do this and we all hated it! It just seemed like one big brag about their achievements and overseas trips. I'm pretty sure there was some jealousy on our part there. Perhaps their intention was just to share their news as they lived far away but it really, it just made them look like twonkas.
In this age of FB I don't see why they can't just brag on the internets. Letters are so old fashioned.

[Eeyolet]

Nobody we know does them, but when I was younger a friends family used to do one (normal in their circle) and she hated them. We called them Brag Letters.

[seayork2002]

I do not like them but it has nothing to do with feeling inadequate as I happy with what we are/do (if not I would change it) but more from the idea that why would anyone want for Christmas the fact that my husband and I prefer Woolies to Coles or we had a few days break a last week or our son is a math genius or...it makes no sense to me and although I am happy with others do FOR THEM why do we need to hear all about it?

[Holidayromp]

Mum and Dad gets one from a distant friend and Dad hates it as well it comes across as braggy. Mum takes it as face value.

My exes father does them but he does it so he doesn't have to write individual letter so it is just one great circular with nothing personal on it. But upon reading the newsletter it is w**ky and I have little time for them.

[skae]

I like getting them, but then again I am a nosy parker and enjoy finding out what people have been up to. Facebook has kinda overtaken the yearly letter though, you tend to find out in real-time these days.

[rachelemma]

I do them. I live in Hong Kong so I think it's nice to catch people up on stuff we've been up to. I generally just say what each person has been doing, not necessarily what they've achieved. For example, Emma started primary school this year and loves it. Can't see how that's bragging.

[sne]

Hmm is it possible to do this in a non w**ky way?

We moved from NZ at the beginning of the year and before we left a number of people who weren't close friends but I saw them on a semi regular basis gave me their emails and said to keep in touch and let them know how we got on. They include people like our hairdresser, plunket nurse etc