Holiday Bragging Letters

Around this time of year my family always receives those “update” letters from other families that we know or are related to. I like to call them, "bragging letters." You know, those letters typically written by the mother in the family, that contain a detailed list of what each member in the family has been up to and all of their achievements and activities of the past year. Sometimes they even contain a picture of the family together, maybe in matching holiday outfits, or sitting by the Christmas tree.

I am not a fan of these letters at all. I believe the holiday season is about getting together with family and friends and following tradition, or maybe even starting new ones. I find it silly that people spend all this time and effort to hand write, or sometimes type these letters when they could easily pick up the phone and schedule a get together in person! These letters are so impersonal; obviously the family has sent it their entire neighborhood and extended family and everyone they know at church. Nowhere in the letter do they ask about my life, so why do I need to read two pages about theirs?

I know people like to write these letters because it is their way of showing everyone that their family is alive and well, (in most cases) but come on people, if you were truly my friend or part of the family, I would most likely already know everything written in the letter! These notes just seem to brag. I would respect someone much more if they called up and just had a simple phone conversation with me, where we both speak about all of our new adventures in our lives, nothing fancy.