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It’s that time of year again: the assembling of the annual family newsletter. It’s a tradition that everybody loves and, if we’re being honest, loathes. We love seeing what our friends and relatives are up to. At the same time, trying to figure out a fun and creative way to talk about the year our own families have had is stressful.
You want to be cute but not cutesy.
You want to be funny but not hokey or crass.
You want to create something that feels more like a gift than a form letter.
It’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself and your annual greeting. Still, there are ways to accomplish all of these goals. Here are some tips that should help you out:
1. Start with the Card
The card itself says a lot about you, your family and the sentiment you want to express. There are lots of places online that allow you to print custom cards. This is a great option, especially for busy people who might not have time to stand in a store considering the dozens of different options that are available. Printing your own photos and sayings on the card itself makes your card unique (and more likely that it will be kept). If you choose to print your family’s photo on the card, this also saves paper, which will make the environmentalists in your family happy.
2. Your Family Portrait
The photo (or photos) you include with your holiday card or newsletter is important. While candids are great for showing off your family’s personality, there is something to be said for the classic family Christmas portrait. This is the time of year when it’s worth it to hire a professional to take a few really good posed pictures of you and your family.
This is as much a gift for your own family as it is for those with whom you will be sharing the photos. It’s nice to have a collection of family portraits that allow you to see how your family has grown and changed throughout the year.
3. Let Everybody Have a Say
Sure, it’s nice to have a solid and cohesive narrative to your family’s annual “here’s what we’re up to” communication. It’s also really fun to have a running record of the way your family has grown up because after all, you’re keeping copies for yourself, right? Letting your kids write their own sections of the letter is fun, takes some of the work off of you, and makes a great keepsake of their childhoods.
For added cute, have everybody hand write their portions of the newsletter and scan them in. It’s more personal and adds some character to your newsletter.
4. Extras
While you might not be able to afford individual gifts for every person receiving your newsletter, you can probably swing some extra postage, right? Why not include a few extras in your holiday mailing? Some scans of your kids drawings, some candid photos, a handmade trinket…it gives your newsletter a personal touch and keeps it from feeling like a form letter.
What are some of the ways you’ve found to improve your family’s holiday letter? Share your tips and tricks with the rest of us!
