Which side are you on? There are those that love to write Christmas letters and those that don’t. There are those that love to read them and those that don’t. There are letters that are a delight and those that aren’t.

I’ve written both kinds.

And because I keep trying, I think I might have learned a little bit along the way.

So let me share this unsolicited advice. Someone should tell you and it might as well be me.

Good reasons to write a Christmas letter:

1. Writing a Christmas letter makes you take stock of the year, review and reflect on the good and the difficult. It helps you process what has happened and it’s like wrapping it up and putting a bow on it. Good for our mental health.
2. You will look for the best memories to record. Writing them down makes them more real in your mind. It’s a way of counting our blessings and that always gives good feelings.
3. It records concisely and interestingly your family history. I’ve heard of those that make copies to put in each child’s baby book as the years go by.
4. One regret of those near the end of life is not keeping in contact with family and friends. Here’s an opportunity to avoid that regret.
5. When you are old, do you think it would be pleasant to get a letter from far-flung family in your mailbox at the nursing home? Well, then, do that for others.

Old-time Christmas stamps

Before you begin

The biggest difficulty I experience with Christmas letters is they are hard to read. This is for several reasons. Either the print is so small, paragraphs too long, or too many details included.Please keep the reader in mind as you write. Maybe I need to visit the eye doctor, but really, this is so easy to fix. And I think it’s the writer’s job to make reading easy.

Print your letter on white paper, with black ink, in a font that is easy to read. Size the font up a bit too. Leave margins on the edges and make lots of paragraphs. Bonus is you don’t have to write so much to fill the page. Use spell check. This makes reading a letter a delight.

If you send an email, or whatsapp letter, divide the writing into a lot of paragraphs. Maybe even a space between the paragraphs would be in order. A screen full of tiny print is daunting, even for a reader like me.

Keep in mind who you are writing to. Don’t write about people the reader won’t know. Or at least explain a bit to make connection.

Keep it snappy and pithy. This is a summary of the year. Only some of it is worth recording.

Be authentic. Be honest. If you are humble bragging, at least season it with some reality checks.

Try to write like you talk. When you read it over, it may not seem like the best ever letter, and that’s ok. Do it just because it’s a good thing to do. Call it a success.

Some things to write about

1. Start with a greeting. A wish for the reader, maybe. Talk about them for a bit.
2. Write a short update on each family member. Touch on personality, accomplishments, a funny story.
3. Comment on important events, and meaningful moments.
4. It’s not rocket science, really. Sometimes the form you choose (read on below) dictates the type of things to include.

Try Something Different

A Christmas letter can take many forms. Even if you’re not a writer, you are still creative. Here are some things that may inspire you to create a letter that’s unique. Try crafting your letter as

1. Front page of a newspaper. Give it a title (The Toews Tribune), an editorial, a front page news item, a classified ad. Maybe other family members can write the different parts.
2. By the numbers. One new baby, two vacations, 52 gallons of milk…
3. Top 10 List: thankfuls, reasons you won’t be writing, events, milestones
4. Model it after a picture book. Let the kids illustrate it.
5. Who Am I? Give three clues that tell about each family member, or an event and be sure to include the answers.
6. A crossword puzzle with clues that tell about your year.
7. A poem, if you are a poet.
8. A postcard from each person.
9. Acrostic: Choose a word like Christmas and then write something to go with each letter. C is for…
10. A to-do list.
11. Write one to yourself. Dear me…
12. Quotes from family members that tell about bit about the past year.
13. A different perspective. Wouldn’t it be interesting to hear the youngest child’s perspective on the last year, or your husband’s, or your pet’s or even the grumpy neighbor’s?

There is nothing like an old Christmas letter to bring tears and laughs. You will be glad you took the time to record events and connect with others. And it’s one of the cheapest gifts you can give– a bit of stationery and a stamp and your precious time.

Share your tips and/or Christmas letter experiences in the comments below.

I’m off to write a letter!

–Liz

P.S. Something to read afterward:

I read this one last Christmas:

The description for this one said it was good to read aloud:

This thick read is on my to-be-read shelf:

Favorite Christmas Treats to eat while you read or write

Lattes and something to drink