This year is going be a far different holiday season than we have ever experienced before. With travel restrictions as well as the fact many older family members or those with health issues not wanting to do the in person thing this season, it can be hard to make the holiday season feel more personal when you can’t visit in person.
You can start a new tradition this year of bringing back the Christmas holiday letter to share with family. But this Christmas holiday letter will have a brand new twist on it, something to make it more personal and thoughtful for each receiving family member or friend you’re sending them to.
Turn off with the traditional holiday letter where you talk about your accomplishments this year and things your family might have done, especially if there’s anything you did before restrictions came to place. I it is okay to talk about some of the challenges you might have faced this year but remember the point of this letter is to bring joy to the recipient not to bring them down with everything that has happened.
You want to include some photos of you and your family. There can be some posed shots but make sure that there are some candid photos of you and your family whether it’s your kids playing outside or just a thoughtful photo of how one of your family members is doing something whether it’s a puzzle or baking or whatever.
Include some artwork that your kids have done throughout the year whether it was at school or you can set them on a project at home to draw personalized pictures for each of your recipients. Your kids might have a great time drawing something specifically for Grandma and Grandpa, as well as for drawing something different for maybe their cousins or family friends.
Because you are not likely getting together with very many family members, you might want to consider adding maybe a favourite recipe. It can be a recipe that maybe you always bring the family potlucks, or maybe I can be a recipe that you are wanting to share that they can make themselves for their own holiday dinners. Another great way to personalize your letter and make people think about you and your family as they make it.
Don’t forget that you can actually draw a picture on the envelope as well, as long as it’s not interfering with the stamps or the address is on the front. You may want to have your kids draw a picture on the back or even design their own fancy seal where the envelope gets sealed on the back.
Do remember that mail service is taking a little bit longer than usual, so don’t forget to mail these letters in advance so that people can get it in time for the holiday season, especially if you’re including a recipe that people might need to get ingredients for.
This fancier style of the traditional Christmas letter can then be a tradition in your family for you and your kids to create these letter packages for future Christmases as well.
