What would you do?

[Onthemove1971]

Hope everyone is surviving the holidays, I know they are a challange for many.

Just curious what you guys would do...

We send out an annual holiday card with photos of the family at events and experiences we have had over the last year.

All was good until we got one today from a family we are not close to and they don't even live in our state.

In the card, the mom really bragged about all of her kids, saying that each one achieved many awards in sports and one of them got straight A's. You can tell who her favorite child is by the way she speaks and it just seems like a fake life, certainly not close to ours...

What would you do?

Throw it away?

Not send one to them next year?

Say something?

It just really hit me the wrong way..

Just curious what you guys think.

[ConfrontingChallenge]

I would say just let them have their own experience, and say nothing as they are not in your innermost sphere. I would definitely throw out the card so that it doesn’t resurface to bother you again. Do what you do best and just be great.

[anirush]

I am always tempted to do a news letter saying who got in trouble this week, who didn't get suspended for a change.

Just let it go, no one's life is perfect. And it's hard to hear things like that when you're dealing with everyday challenges.

I still sometimes look at families in the mall and think they look so well behaved. Oh well!

[dubstepMaul]

I always hated getting those brag cards/letters. They do indeed seem like fake life. Yeah just throw it away and let the bragging turn into background noise.

[chocolatefrog]

Honestly, I struggle with these. On one hand, I like to hear the news from families, but on the other hand it does feel a bit like bragging. Of course you never really know what goes on behind closed doors so just because it didn't appear in the Christmas letter doesn't mean they don't have other things going on. There are some really great pictures of us as a family that we sent it our Christmas cards from a vacation we went on the summer. Not mentioned in the Christmas card was the fact that it took several days for my kids to adjust to the change in routine and there was a lot of screaming and yelling and crying.

I agree with the others, throw it out and move on with your life holidays can be tough so give yourself a little Grace

[Bambamxyz]

Surviving the holidays!

I just met with a friend I hadn't seen in a couple of years. On Facebook her life is awesome. Boys getting leads in plays and soccer stars. When we actually sat down for dinner, I learned about all her daily struggles (one of her sons has ADHD). Now, if you no longer care to have her in your circle, yes, recycle card and cross her off your list. Or, just take the "good for her" attitude. It could be a reminder of how to be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives and the lives of people we care about. Bragging on Xmas cards and FB is sometimes a way for people to show how proud they are of things going well when they have parts of their lives that are tough and depressing and won't make it into the letter/card. Some people do it better than others, where it sounds more like a friendly update then an in-your-face-look-at-how-great-we-are! If you are close enough and want to continue the friendship, maybe a phone call to chat about the card and how it made you feel? I don't know, that may be weird. Yeah, maybe just toss the card and put energy into your current close friends.

[Janice_H]

Throw it out. If it is not meaningful to you why save it. Move on with the day and be thankful for your own life and children. Everyone is at a different state in their lives. The progress you and your child have made is not as meaningful as it would be to others.

[Pennywink]

This reminds me of annual holiday cards we got from my aunt in Florida, starting the letter off with what warm temperatures they were enjoying (while we were in the cold.)

I'm gonna repeat what others have said. Maybe grumble a bit about it with your spouse, then throw it away & forget about it, until you get another one next year. Rinse & repeat.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to Pennywink]

Thanks.. happy holidays..

[seller]

I sent you a chat!