the christmas newsletter

Sometime during the early 1990's it became popular to send, instead of a regular old Christmas Card, a Christmas letter, which chronicled your family's previous year. We received these letters by the bucket load, all on similar winter themed stationary, sold by your local office supply chain. Some letters included photos, some had a different member of the family write an update for another member of the family, but essentially, they were all the same.

I am both shamed and proud to say that my family fell into this tradition. At some point in mid to late November, my dad would sit down at the kitchen table, scratch paper and pencil in hand, and draft our Christmas Newsletter. It eventually became somewhat of a family affair, and my siblings and I would give our input.

I learned through this experience (in hindsight) that my dad actually has a really funny, witty narrative voice. I suppose what set our letter off from others is that my dad never took the letter too seriously. Some people would write about their new houses, fancy cars, and the eternal debate: where to vacation? Florida or South Carolina?!

Dad would write about our daily lives. He would speak to his ho-hum job, his coaching our various soccer teams (all losing teams, mind you). He would include "Editor's Notes" that usually poked fun at some aspect of our family -- like the toilet breaking or us having to rake all of our neighbors leaves that would fall into our yard, even though we didn't have any trees in our own yard. And it was darn funny.

The Christmas Newsletter seems to have all but disappeared. In fact, one might argue that the Christmas Card has all but disappeared (unless you are in the rich, baby producing demographic -- that demographic still pounds out cards like they pound out babies). However, my dad's brother's family still produces a newsletter, which is sort of fitting because they seem to be stuck in the 90's, just like the newsletter.

But I was reading my uncle's family's newsletter and their previous year's successes, and I thought to myself, if it was still fashionable to write these things, I would have nothing to say, my life is just. that. boring.

My sister popped out another kid. They got a new car. The bought a condo. R got a promotion.

My brother got married. He got a promotion. E took a new position in her company.

Me? I'm still teaching. Still coaching. Still single.

(This was also brought to my attention when nearly every member of my family said: "We don't have any nice pictures of you! You should have your picture taken!" as my sister and brother shucked out photos of their kids and weddings, respectively.)

I always think that the next year will be my year. I'll travel someplace great. Meet the man of my dreams. Quit my jobs. Be a mom.

But even though there are some aspects of my life that seem pretty crappy and mundane, I sometimes think that it's my life, and I kind of like it. Yeah, there are some things that I would like to change. But I'm relatively healthy, I have a great family that lives near by, two adorable nephews, and I have a job. Which is more than some can say.

So, here's wishing you and yours the happiest of 2011's!