Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Christmas Cards (11/06/08)
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TITLE: Dear Family and Friends... | Previous Challenge Entry
By Sharon Johnson
11/13/08 -
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Since then the popularity of Christmas letters has grown. Home computers have made it easy to type and print multiple copies on decorative holiday papers that are now readily available in stores.
Ever since I married, I have emulated the example that Aunt Lu set in writing an annual Christmas letter. I have grown to love this tradition because in the process of writing the letter, I get to slow down and reflect on our family’s journey throughout the year. I get to choose which experiences to share with our friends and family.
Over the years I have heard acquaintances criticize people who write “year-in-review” Christmas letters. They say they do not like getting them because they are not personal or portray the senders’ family unrealistically. I disagree. I love to receive letters that share about people’s experiences throughout the year. Even if it is a reprinted letter, I know that the writer took time to reflect on what to share and how to share it. I look forward to these letters. I also enjoy receiving family photographs that many people send as Christmas greetings each year. I love to see how children have grown and catch a glimpse of friends who I have not seen in awhile. A real treat for me is when I receive the combination of a newsy Christmas letter and a photograph.
One year I was trying to write our traditional year-in-review letter, but it just didn’t feel like it had any sparkle. It probably didn’t; I was a working mom with three sons ages three and younger. One morning as we were getting ready for the day, our lives became even more chaotic than usual. I remember regurgitated grape juice, a fever, a curling iron burn, incessant phone calls and the need to get out the door on time. The commotion made me feel like crying, instead I chose to laugh at the reality of our busy home. That night I rewrote our Christmas letter and retold the story of just that one morning. It was a humorous snapshot of life with three toddlers. Several recipients called me to say they laughed through the whole thing. Only one man stopped me at church to say he “didn’t get it”. I assured him that there was joy amidst chaos at our house and wished him a Merry Christmas.
Each year I place a copy of our Christmas letter into each family member’s photo album. I hope that some day my sons will treasure these letters as a record of our family history. I know they will be a lasting testament to God’s love and provision for us.
The only year that I considered not sending our annual Christmas letter was the year that my husband Jeff was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 41. So much of our year was consumed with doctor appointments, hospital stays, radiation treatments and medical bills. The year seemed so bleak and I struggled to cope with the turn of events in our home. Yet I felt compelled to write the Christmas letter. It was not a letter of cheerful highlights like most years, but in the process of writing the letter God assured me of his ongoing protection and provision for our family. People commented that they appreciated our Christmas letter that year. They said it answered questions that they had been afraid to ask us. It was a testament to our faith and God’s faithfulness as we walked through an incredibly difficult time.
Fortunately, Jeff’s cancer has not spread and we have had three years to celebrate the life that God has given us with renewed passion. We are more intentional about creating family memories. And I am more committed to writing our annual Christmas letter both to keep a record of our family’s journey, and to testify to the unfailing love and faithfulness of God.
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