https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:19:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1287237 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 16:49:44 +0000 PawPrints 1287237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: Totally agree. It's really hard for these letters to come across as anything other than braggy, because it's a bummer to include negative things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1287220 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 16:45:46 +0000 MediaNaranja 1287220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the cute, informative ones. I hate the braggy ones. This year I will probably ignore all of them, because we've had a pretty shitty year and I don't need to feel worse about myself, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1287027 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 15:38:09 +0000 marionberry 1287027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I grew up loving to read the few letters that came with select cards, so this year I wrote a letter about all of the changes in our life this year. I had no idea some people hate this. It has me feeling really uneasy. Luckily I don't think our friends and family would think we're writing it to seem braggy but I guess we'll see if we get any push back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286860 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:52:28 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1286860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope! I think Facebook has rendered the Christmas letter pretty much useless! I also question whether or not it is appropriate to call so much attention to myself at Christmas, especially when the purpose of a card is to let the recipient know we are thinking of them, We do a photo card and that is sufficiently braggy for me. I know my family and other parent friends like them but I am sure my non parents friends groan inwardly when they see them. I can't help it, he is my thing to brag about these days, lol! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286832 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:45:24 +0000 Pancakes 1286832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I handwrite a little note on our cards. We have moved a lot, so for many people we haven't seen them all year or in several years. I handwrote 3 letters to catch up with some people that I haven't had the chance to otherwise. I think that's okay (I hope it is!).</p> <p>We got one letter that I found to be ridiculous...but I almost prefer that to a card that's just stuffed in an envelope. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286817 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:41:32 +0000 prettylizy 1286817@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used to send one out every year with our Christmas cards growing up (though not to our whole list, just certain people) and everyone loved it. I did a yearline card through Minted this year which is like a mini-newsey thing, just 3 little blurbs about our year. I really do love them though, so much fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286793 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:37:04 +0000 Kimberlybee 1286793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love receiving the annual year-end letters but only a few send them out now-a-days. I read them and save them but we don't write one. I don't think they come across as braggy at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286779 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:32:36 +0000 sunny 1286779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't get any from our friends! I wouldn't mind though since we don't always get to catch up with people if they aren't on FB. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286768 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:29:26 +0000 HabesBabe 1286768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only get 2-3 letters per year, and I write a little "blurb" on our cards and handwrite our names, along with a little message "Happy holidays, missing you, etc."</p> <p>I usually find them to be cringeworthy (only the one I get from the hubs' uncle doesn't sound like a humblebrag), but can't help myself from reading them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286646 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 13:37:06 +0000 TheSwissWifeStyle 1286646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm fine with getting them, and I write them. lol Even the 2 bee's I sent cards to are getting one. Whoops. </p> <p>I agree it's a way to make a card a wee-bit more personal. It's kinda lame since it's just DH and I, so mostly we talk about places we traveled to, who's weddings we went to, etc. I guess it's a bit braggy but it's better then saying "Well we still haven't had a baby, so we took a lot of trips this year." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286093 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:35:13 +0000 Mae 1286093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never gotten one, but I don't like them. I agree with those above who say that if I'm not close enough to you to know what is going on (at least via fb or something??) then I probably don't need to read about it in a letter. I just find them very awkward and braggy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286081 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:31:57 +0000 Alivoo01 1286081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I read them, but they're generic like "wishing you and your family a wonderful year" so no stories of their life. We send photo cards so no additional message from us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286064 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:27:52 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1286064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At this point, I just write a note on each of our cards, so it's not totally impersonal, but I actually love getting letters. We get cards from a lot of people who we care about but live far away from and often miss out on the details of what's going on other than marriages, births, deaths, kind of stuff. For me, it helps me to feel like I'm still more connected. Of course, most of the ones are just about what the kids are up to, etc., not like raving about their amazing trip around the world in only 5-star hotels or something. That might get a little annoying. :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286036 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:20:44 +0000 mrs. wagon 1286036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like them, I read them, I don't write them. I asked Wagon Sr. if we should write one this year and he said yes, but then as we started thinking about what to write I nixed the idea. He's a writer (a creative one at that, a poet) so anything involving him and writing becomes a major battle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286026 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:17:37 +0000 Foodnerd81 1286026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@however briefly: this is my point. If you had a great year it's impossible not to sound like you are bragging even if you are trying not to. And it is sad because I'm sure your letters were much more interesting than: Johnny is in the fourth grade and made the baseball team. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286016 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:15:50 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1286016@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love reading them especially for those that aren't on FB. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286013 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:15:21 +0000 Foodnerd81 1286013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TemperanceBrennan: I got nervous when I saw I had a reply. I was like... Wait, I really am going to hell... Haha but yes it's just the cringeworthy ones. I only get a couple and one is tha cringe one. I do like reading them but they get braggy really fast. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1286003 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:13:52 +0000 however briefly 1286003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did it twice a few years ago and then never did it again despite enjoying receiving them from others. The problem is that my husband and I lead fairly adventurous and blessed lives so I guess we came across as braggy but to this day I'm still not sure how I could have worded it otherwise. I mean, we lived in Europe at the time and spent most of our free time traveling and all I said was that we were blessed to have been able to have so many great travel experiences throughout the year and inserted a few small photos from various places that were special to us. A few of my friends and relatives later said (teasingly but still honestly) it was like getting a "look at how much more awesome our lives are than yours" kind of thing, like we were rubbing it in their faces. Talk about awkward. I felt so ashamed and embarrassed (still not even sure why I felt this way) that I stopped doing it altogether.</p> <p>That being said, a friend has been a reservist chaplain for a couple of years now and puts his rank both on the return address as well as the signature and it's sadly pathetic every time. We get it. You're an officer in the military one weekend a month. You can stop making sure everyone knows now, please. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285991 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:11:02 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 1285991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't get any! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285967 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:01:11 +0000 mrsjyw 1285967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't get them from friends! And don't mind that I don't! ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285961 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:00:10 +0000 cascademom 1285961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like reading them because they can be really cringeworthy or really funny. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285942 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:55:47 +0000 autumnlove 1285942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like reading them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285918 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:49:37 +0000 LuLu Mom 1285918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes I read them, love it. I think a nice SHORT message is okay, I hate the 2+ pages ones...seriously condense it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285917 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:49:37 +0000 Rubies 1285917@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love receiving them!!! I love hearing how people have spent their year, especially if we were unable to keep in touch throughout. I like writing them, in theory, but never do because I'm lazy :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285911 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:48:07 +0000 Marfi 1285911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband HATES them. We got one from my uncle and aunt and he was like "we are never doing that." I am rather indifferent to the letters, I probably will never do them, not because I don't like them, but because I suck at getting my thoughts on to paper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285906 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:46:44 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1285906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TemperanceBrennan: the ABC soup is baaad, put that on your return label/ stamp. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285895 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:44:41 +0000 Happygal 1285895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like them! I'm awful at keeping in touch with people, so it's a chance for me to hear about things I've missed out on.<br /> . </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285854 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:28:59 +0000 TemperanceBrennan 1285854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: We are the exact same way! I love reading them because I typically think they are really funny, but I would never send one. ETA: We get really braggy ones or ones that have a trying-too-hard theme. There is one guy (granted he is super smart) that even signs his credentials after his name - "John Smith MD, PHD, MBA" </p> <p>To me, holiday cards are to send good cheer to your family and friends, not to inform people you haven't seen all year what you have been up to. I get why people do it, it's just not my cup of tea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285849 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:27:42 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1285849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the letters. Especially from people that I don't keep in touch with unless it's the holiday and really it's just a greeting card exchange. The letters I have read are not obnoxious; mostly announcing weddings, graduations (acceptance into school), marriages, or other milestone accomplishments. I have yet to read one that says "we spent half the year touring Europe", rather "we both retired this year and have more time to focus on hobbies and traveling". Or another may say "Ben and Carol have settled in MD" and maybe not "my children bought a huge home in Potomac." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/letters-in-a-christmas-card#post-1285843 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:25:43 +0000 mediagirl 1285843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think they're fun but we don't get any. My parents friends still send them and I like reading them to catch up on kids I lost touch with that their parents still talk about. </p>