We haven’t gotten one yet but I know it’s coming. What am I talking about? The dreaded Christmas letter. The one that will come in a Christmas card and be all about how wonderful someone’s year was. The one that will brag about perfect children and amazing vacations and 6 figure incomes. I’m mostly just kidding but I’m partly serious and it got me to thinking, what are the 10 Things I would Put in a Christmas Letter? You know, if I actually wrote something like that. Here goes.
- We did a lot of work on the outside of our house this year. We had new siding put on, we got 6 new windows, a new front door and new storm doors. We spent a lot of money.
- We also did some inside work on the house. We redid a very small room and turned it into a usable space. We spent a lot more money.
- I still knit. A lot.
- Hannah passed her MTEL. This is the exam that will allow her to do her student teaching and finish her program and graduate. Hallelujah.
- Patrick turned 16 this past October. I like this arrangement that we have where he gets older but we don’t.
- Brant, Heather and Ambrynn didn’t visit this year. We miss them.
- We went to Mexico and had a fantastic time. The weather was perfect and the beach was beautiful and the tequila was plentiful.
- Our beloved Dixie crossed the rainbow bridge in August. We’ve decided not to get another dog and are truly grieving for her and miss her terribly.
- I finished up my year as President of our Kiwanis Club. It was a lot of work but it was fun and solidified for me even more how important it is to volunteer.
- I officially started my photography business. I have, like, one client, but it’s all good.
I guess that’s a summary of a year with our family. Succinct. Truthful. Hopefully not pretentious.
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I love your card photo! I’m one of those people who do a Christmas letter every year. It’s never pretentious, though. Just newsy and, hopefully, sort of fun to read. (I get some of those pretentious letters. I roll my eyes and just laugh . . . because I’d rather get pretentious news than no news at all.)
You brag sheet isn’t pretentious at all! In fact, it’s very fun and full of good news. I love your new front door. Your house must be really cozy and wonderful. I’d love it if you came to help me with mine.
I really feel you on the dog situation. It must be easier when there is another puppy or kitten to focus on.
I love a newsy letter at the holidays! Enjoyed your recap. 😉
I love the picture of you and Dale! You’re all getting me in the spirit – maybe a New Years card? And that Hannah news is the best!
Perfect! Contented, newsy and not pretentious.
I agree with everybody– that’s a beautiful picture. Congrats to Hannah!
This is great. Not pretentious at all!
Your letter sounded perfect. Not one that would cause me to roll my eyes at all!!
Congratulations to Hannah for passing her MTELs! Let her know that Colin did graduate Westfield with his BA in theater but can’t find a job so is returning to Framingham State for a second bs in computers starting this January.
It has been a great journey, and I wish to thank you for taking us along, as it were. Love your Merry Christmas picture, too!
Carole
What a fun prompt. I’ll just answer here:
a few:
Highlight: retired from NICU nursing for 31 years. With the hospital for 34 years. Time to enjoy life. Life is very good when you are not surrounded by Intensive care and death and stress! !!!
Lots of knitting.
First vineyard wine tasting tour of my life: loved it . Charlottesville.
Spent some sunshine time in the Keys in March.
Saw the blood moon, early in the year.
love the photo and the letter! you have much to celebrate (with a bit to mourn) and it’s all good! …I realized as I wrote today’s post why I doN’T write Christmas letters!
I write one of those newsletters, but I only include it with cards to people that I don’t communicate with regularly, like on Facebook. It saves me from having to hand write the same info in multiple cards.
We used to send out those dreaded letters, but to make it a bit more fun (and less pretentious) one of the kids always ‘wrote’ it … everyone seemed to love them! Now that the kids are a bit older, it seems a bit contrived, so I’ve gone back to just the photo card (which is going out this weekend, I swear). Love your list, it was a very good year!
I didn’t write a Christmas letter this year. After doing it for years I decided either the card recipients know us enough to know all that stuff or I did a hand written note for those people that didn’t. I kinda like getting them though…just a name signed on a card is a little disappointing…