Spruce up your season’s greetings with these Christmas letter ideas
Writing a Christmas letter that isn’t greeted with groans is a real achievement. At their best, holiday newsletters are a way to share our lives with the people we wish we saw more often. At their worst, they can be boring (too much detail) or annoying (too much bragging or complaining). Want to avoid all that and make your recipients smile? Try these tips and Christmas letter ideas to spruce up your season’s greetings.
Inspired? Create and share by tagging @hallmarkstores.
Start early
Aim to have your holiday newsletter written by December 1. That way you can give the letter more thought and will have plenty of time to edit. Consider creating two versions: one for close friends and family and one for people you’re in touch with less frequently.
Involve the family
Tap your kids’ memories for the year’s highlights and have them help you select photos. They can even write some of the photo captions.
Keep it simple and short
One page is enough (two sides of one page—tops!—if you’re incorporating photos). User-friendly layout programs like Microsoft Word can help you create letters with a simple design and easy-to-read fonts. “A big block of small gray text isn’t very inviting, and larger type is better for the older people on your recipient list,” says Bernadette Longo, Ph.D., an associate professor of writing studies at the University of Minnesota. Resist the urge to decorate your text with a wide array of type styles and colors—any more than two will look too busy.
Show, don’t tell
Photos are a universal crowd–pleaser. They’re also a creative replacement for text. If you write a caption for a photo of the family at Disney World, you don’t have to write much about the vacation you took. Remember to include snapshots of adults, not just the kids—people want to see you too!
Tone down the boasting
When writing about your kids’ accomplishments, try self-deprecating humor, suggests Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, author of Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Igniting the Writer Within. When mentioning your daughter’s good grades, for example, say something like, “Thank goodness Bernice doesn’t take after me when it comes to school. She spends time with her books instead of eye shadow and even made the honor roll!” That sounds light and makes readers happy for Bernice.
Remember the season
Holiday newsletters should be cheerful. No one wants to read on and on about Uncle Jerry’s gallstones in a holiday message. When mentioning serious topics like a death in the family, try to keep things as upbeat as possible. “We lost our beloved Uncle Marty in September and will always remember his loving nature, hearty laugh and fishing stories.”
End on a personal note
Close with warm wishes for the recipients, leaving the attention on them instead of you. Then have everyone in your clan sign it. You can also handwrite a note in the bottom margin of the letter to personalize it and avoid that mass-mail feeling.
Shop Boxed Cards
See allYou may also like
See more-
Gifting The Office gifts and decor make WFH way more fun
From 9-5, our favorite show is The (Home) Office. 💼 📄 Add some fun to WFH with products and decor from The Office, av...
-
Summer Vegetable stamping: How to make simple, modern prints with produce
There are so many reasons to try fruit and vegetable stamping: It's surprisingly creative. It's easy. It uses stuff y...
-
Baby 40+ baby photoshoot ideas, tips and tricks from Hallmark photographers
You have the cutest baby in the world. There’s no contest. It’s not even a question. But what you might not have are ...
-
Christmas Step right up and see the Seaside Carnival Keepsake Ornament
Get ready for all the sights and sounds of Santa’s Seaside Carnival! Santa and Mrs. Claus are ready to greet visitors...
-
Friends Friendship messages: What to write in a friendship card
Whether it’s your friend’s birthday or just any old day, sending a card is a great way to bring a smile and nurture ...
-
Card Ideas 17 ideas for saving your favorite cards and letters
If you’ve got a shoe box full of old cards and letters, you’re definitely not alone. People have been stashing away m...
-
Birthday Free birthday coloring pages to add more fun to the celebration
The best birthdays are the ones filled with lots of little treats and fun activities, from sunup to sundown. If you’r...
-
Family Tips and ideas for preserving and displaying family recipes
Family recipes are a special kind of priceless heirloom—the kind that transport us back to our favorite times with ou...
-
Mother's Day Meaningful, personal Mother's Day gift ideas for every mom you know
It can be tough to come up with gift ideas for Mom. Most of us want to give her something meaningful: a gift that sho...
-
Father's Day Celebrating two dads on Father's Day: Tips and ideas inspired by real families
As a dad, I appreciate Father’s Day. Even though my family has never made a really big deal out of it, it’s always so...
-
Thank You 100+ teacher appreciation gift ideas to say “thanks for all you do!”
In 6th grade, my homeroom teacher made us illustrated, laminated bookmarks—each one a custom collage of our interests...
-
Christmas Dr. Finkelstein’s Lab Tree Topper
Fans of Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, we have a frightfully fun new addition for your tree! Kee...
-
Graduation Graduation gift ideas for every level of education
My little brother starts kindergarten this year, and I’m already bracing myself for the tears—mine, not his. I know t...
-
Lifestyle Free printable When Calls the Heart Bingo card to celebrate the Season 11 premiere!
Who's ready for a Heartie Party? You know we are! So much so, we created a bingo card to add a whole extra layer of f...
-
Christmas Star Wars: A New Hope™️ Collection
You don’t have to travel to a galaxy far, far away to experience an epic adventure! Each stocking holder performs sce...
-
Christmas Wreath of Memories Keepsake Ornament
Get a special behind-the-scenes look at how Keepsake Artists Gregor Benedetti and Rob Stanphill collaborated on the d...
-
Christmas Howliday Helpers First in Series Keepsake Ornament
Do you want the inside scoop on an im-paws-ibly cute new series? We’ll throw you a bone—Keepsake Artist Sharon Visker...
-
Christmas Keepsake Ornaments ShowToppers Mini Collection
We’re so excited to introduce our new ShowToppers collection. Featuring three unique designs, each tree topper is int...
-
Christmas Keepsake Ornaments North Pole Village Table Decoration
Keepsake Artist Sharon Visker is here with a special delivery of Christmas magic! Hear how she brought this bustling ...
-
Christmas Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™️ Storytellers Collection
Ready for a little magic? Featuring light, sound and real dialogue from the movie, Harry, Dobby, Ron, Hermione and th...