5 Things I Want to Read in Christmas Letters

December marks the annual question about Christmas cards and Christmas letters.

I’m squarely in favor of both, as I’ve written about here.

People complain, though, about the nature of the Christmas letters–too much bragging, too much good news, not enough reality.

I’ve had letters like that over the years, but for the most part, I relish whatever news I get.

It’s different now that we follow each other’s lives on Facebook,  but a Christmas letter distills the essence of what happened into one or two pages with an excellent overview of the year.

I’ve got all the ones I’ve written in a file and I read through them from time to time and remember the past.

Much easier and faster than breaking out the family movies.

But what am I looking for in Christmas letters?

Here’s a list of five things I want to read in your Christmas letter:

1. Provide glimpses into the highs of your year. I don’t need details of everything you did, but tell me what gave you joy and give me a reason to rejoice with you.

2.  Give me humor--you can brag all you like as long as I laugh along with you. You need to tell of your triumphs in a way that will make me appreciate what happened without causing the green eye of envy to open its ugly eye and destroy my soul.

3. Show humility. Share with me some of the things have have touched your heart and tell me why. Perhaps your daughter displayed generosity of spirit when you didn’t expect it. Tell me how grateful you are for the blessings that have come your way, reflect on something wonderful that happened to someone else that you witnessed.

4. Share your pain. I want to know if your mother died, if you were disappointed in some way, if you’re fearful or worried about something close to your heart. Don’t break confidences and don’t dwell in the misery, but tell me if your heart has been hurt.

5. Let me see some pictures. Either send one or include a bunch in your letter. Or if you don’t have a camera, paint a picture for me of something special.

Christmas is a time to reflect back on the good and the sobering. It’s an opportunity to rejoice and be glad, but to see your life within a frame.

If God wrote a Christmas letter, this is what I would expect to see in his story of the Bethlehem birth:

1. The Savior of the World is born this day! Rejoice with me!
2. Mary and Joseph left too late and he was born in straw and surrounded by animals in a manger!
3. All they had to wrap him in was swaddling clothes; Shepherds were the first–though honored–guests.
4. The king sent soldiers to kill him; Mary and Joseph had to flee with their lives and his.
5. The stars danced with joy the night Jesus was born. Angel voices rang across the heavens and all I could do was smile with gladness this day had finally come.

If you’re sending me a letter, you’re someone I care about. I want to know about your life–about you.

Write away!

And Merry Christmas!

Tweetables

5 things to include in your Christmas letter. Click to Tweet

What would God put in His Christmas letter? Click to Tweet

I want highs, humilities, humor, pain and photos: the Christmas letter Click to Tweet