I used to write a holiday letter each year and enclose it in our cards, letting everyone know what we’ve been up to, what the kids are doing, where we traveled, and what’s in store for the new year. I also always included a wallet size family photo. Several years ago I stopped sending the letter (and the photo), but kept on writing the letter. I still write one every year and keep all the letters together in a binder. Sound crazy?

I decided that anyone I really cared about already knew what was going on with our family and if I didn’t care about them, why was I sharing all the details of my life with them (after all, they could just read my blog!)? If they cared, they would be in touch enough to know what was happening. If not, what kind of connection did we really have anyhow?

I still like to write the letter because it’s a way for me personally to look back on the year. I like paging through the binder of yearly letters and remembering everything that happened in those years. It’s also a way to keep track of what happened when, which does tend to blur as the years pass!

Will I continue to write the letter once my kids have flown the coop? I don’t know, but I do expect that our traditions will change as our children create their own individual lives, and I look forward to the change it will bring into our lives.

I used to write a holiday letter each year and enclose it in our cards, letting everyone know what we’ve been up to, what the kids are doing, where we traveled, and what’s in store for the new year. I also always included a wallet size family photo. Several years ago I stopped sending the … Read more →