The holidays are hard sometimes..

[Brandon White]

It all comes out in Christmas letters. My wife received one from a former co-worker who she hadn't talked to in maybe 8 years and we are guessing her letter was sent out to several people.

Scott (husband's made up name) and I are no longer together. I thought he might be having an affair and he finally confessed to me. We have joint custody of the kids now, but it's really hard to be a single mom. Kid #1 is playing hockey .......

[nahtnoj]

IMO that's completely unacceptable for an X-mas letter.

True. These letters are where you gloss over major things and project an image of your life being better than everyone else's.

"Jill is having a wonderful time at college" = her school counselor says she is an alcoholic, and is on the verge of failing out.

"Tim was wonderful in the school play" = please, please, please don't let anyone notice our son is gay*.

"Amanda has taken up tennis, and raves about her new coach" = pretty sure my wife is having an affair, not that I care, because I can't stand her and would rather be playing golf.

Etc.

*not that there is anything wrong with that, for illustrative purposes only.

[Nierman]

Pressure's on young grandson Kenny with his dad's flute.

[mjbabcock]

If I was that guy, I'd send out my own Christmas letter letting folks know that the grandparents were struggling with:

incontinence
cognitive impairment associated with old age
outdated ideas about realities of American workplaces
impending death
an unfortunate coupling of one's work and one's identity
the impression that kicking someone who is down will somehow help them "pick them self up"
an inability to truly help someone beyond "hoping and preying" for them
impotence

Toss in a couple bits of family gossip about infidelity or indiscretion and it's all good.

Shoot, I might also photoshop Grandpa into a compromising photo with a goat

[RickM]

Any other Bostonians here remember Globe staff writer Alex Beam's annual holiday letters?

beams_1994 - The Boston Globe

[commonguy001]

We get a yearly Christmas letter from an aunt and uncle on my wife's side of the family.
They've never shamed anyone, they don't have a reason to, but they do give agonizing details on all the health issues they've encountered and suffered through over the last year.
One year their oldest daughter got married which must have been a surprise as it sure read that way.

To be perfectly honest I can't wait to read it every year, it makes me feel REALLY healthy!

Tis the season

[davids]

Any other Bostonians here remember Globe staff writer Alex Beam's annual holiday letters?

beams_1994 - The Boston Globe

"Remember"? The most recent one was a couple weeks ago. It used to be funny.

[nash]

This really makes me appreciate my relative's cards that don't say anything but "Merry Christmas! Love,..."

[Nierman]

When our kids were four and two, we sent out a spoof letter that showed all of the lavish vacations we took that year. To HyVee (The HyVee). The Italian pasta aisle, the Mexican tortilla aisle, the Asian spice aisle, the tropical fruit display islands... We had a blast as a family taking stupid pictures at the grocery store. We thought it was funny, anyway.

[Jake Rosenfeld]

Whoever wrote that must've been either a teacher or a case worker.
It reads like a report card comment.

[MarkC]

A gem from friends:

Steve seems to be struggling to learn that the state troopers not only frown upon his lack of respect for the speed limits on our interstates but also that he is not at all difficult to catch. We remain supportive and hopeful that his recent speeding arrest will bring a new level of comprehension to this matter.

[ElvisMerckx]

To be 24 and have no responsibilities or cares in the world... Happy holidays to you, Ryan.

[znfdl]

Are we related? Over the years, my parents have given me plenty of similar zingers.

Two of the good ones were:

I told my parents that would be going to Duke for grad school and their response was "what is wrong with Harvard?"

MY wife converted to Judaism, "After my wedding my parents said "we wished that you married someone that was Jewish..."

I hope he has a thick skin and continues on his own chosen path.

[davids]

We got a holiday card yesterday from former - sorry, old - friends that included a handwritten note about the kids.

Only the language sounded a little generic for a personal note. A few moments of serious examination showed that the handwritten note was actually printed. It included some nice deceptive touches like a couple words running over the graphic elements.

The attempted deception just pissed me off. So much for the holiday spirit.

[Sbti]

Ryan could be union and making $25/Hour. Maybe he does not like it, but it pays the bills. Maybe he likes it but "complains" about it just to piss off grandma. Maybe he does not want to end up with a couple hundred large in student loan debt. Maybe grandma doesn't know shit. Either way, best to Ryan.

[RickM]

"Remember"? The most recent one was a couple weeks ago. It used to be funny.

Remember;
a) When one still read the Globe
b) When they were funny. (See; 1994)

[Clyde]

Funny. Or not. One of the most important lessons in my life:

"One finger pointing at you, three fingers pointing back at me"

Good Luck With that Relationship

Tough love = ~not~

[TomP]

If Ryan is indeed in a tough spot I don't see how public humiliation and shaming is going to help him.

poor cousin Ryan.

Why, filter or not, does anyone feel they get to shame someone. I was raised by such a person. It's not the words, it's the repeated humiliation. The scars run long and deep.

[boxerboxer]

I think a lot of parents try too hard to parent adult children and don't realize that the teaching/training is basically long over, and the relationship - the part they're busy undermining - is the only thing that they still have some control over. "I'm your parent, not your buddy" stops working somewhere in the late teens if it ever really worked at all.

[steve garro]

I'd be flattered to get that at much recognition from my family, ever!

I've only had one blood relative visit in the last 34 years including when I was dying in a coma and at my wedding.

At least he made the X-mas letter.

- Garro.