COLUMN: Christmas letters still a time-honored tradition

Facebook and electronic greeting cards may have stolen a little of the anticipation of getting Christmas cards and letters in the mail this time of year, but I’ll admit I still look forward to hearing from friends and family members during the holidays.

As a writer, I’ve always felt a lot of pressure to produce the perfect Christmas letter and I’ve gone the distance to stand out from the rest. For years when our kids were young I crafted a mock newspaper called The Hintze Herald with a section and photos of each of us.

Another year I did a month-by-month calendar complete with artwork and cut-out photos. Looking back, yes, it was shamelessly over the top.

Then there was the year I headed each family member’s summary for the year with a favorite Christmas carol. For example, the section for my daughter who works in early childhood education was titled “What Child is This?” I had a bad ear infection that Christmas that knocked me down big-time. My section of the Christmas letter was headed with “Do You Hear What I Hear?” My husband’s synopsis was titled “Chestnuts (but mostly bratwurst) Roasting on an Open Fire.” My TV reporter daughter in Alaska: “Go Tell It On The Mountain.”

The problem in recent years is that my creativity has waned. Last year I was quite tempted to send out cards with the notation “SSDD” — same stuff, different day. Some years are just more exciting than others. But I rallied at the 11th hour last year to produce what I thought passed for an entertaining summary of our year.

Because I write for a living, the last thing I usually want to do is write at home, so I procrastinate. I can’t tell you the number of times my annual Christmas letter has gone out well after Christmas.

This year my cards are actually already in the mail along with photo cards thanks to an unusual mid-December burst of energy. Showing off a photo of our new granddaughter may have had something to do with my unseasonal punctuality.

It’s fascinating what people choose to write about in their yearly highlights. Some of my friends have tried their own creative twist. One good friend from Minnesota wrote her letter from their dog’s viewpoint for a few years until the novelty wore off or the dog passed away.

I’ve laughed with my co-workers over letters that gush to the point where you wonder what their lives might really be like because everything is just too cutesy and too perfect. My eyes tend to glaze over when I read about some friends’ many glorious trips to Mexico or Hawaii or other exotic places. These same friends post too many travel photos on Facebook, too.

I guess it’s human nature to want to put our best foot forward. Who wants to hear about our aches and pains and disappointments in life? No one, that’s who. That’s why we gush about our children and grandchildren and make our lives seem a little bit rosier than they probably are.

There’s something about Christmas that makes us want to be the best versions of ourselves, if only on paper.

At the end of an unsettling year in our world, I made a point to wish my loved ones peace and joy — “and on earth peace, good will toward men.” That’s my wish for you as well. Have a merry and peace-filled Christmas.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.