It’s late November, and the diligent, organized types are already updating their address list, buying festive stamps, unpacking the greeting cards they bought on clearance sale after last Christmas, and brainstorming the highlights of the annual family letter. Others will decide on December 29 to send a hasty, guilt-driven New Year greeting to reciprocate for the cards and letters received during the month.
Whether you’re carefully drafting a thoughtful greeting to business clients or dashing off a last-minute family update to friends, there are a lot of ways your holiday letter or cards can go wrong! Here are some tips to help you avoid common slip-ups:
- Long, chatty, one-size fits all letters are dull and impersonal. Your business colleagues aren’t interested in your niece Carrie’s prowess on the basketball court nor the new carport. Your 1972 classmates don’t know your brother-in-law Todd, and therefore won’t care that he’s now a partner at his firm. Keep it short and relevant.
- Mistakes in spelling, grammar, or formatting will make an impression. Aunt Lois won’t mind, but if this missive will be representing you professionally (e.g., received by clients, colleagues, or others in your professional network) be very careful about editing. At minimum, ask a friend with a sharp eye for detail and a good grasp of language to read it closely. A professional eye may cost less than you think — I can edit most one-page letters for around $25.
- Unless you’ve had a truly monumental year, 1-3 highlights should suffice. Most of the people who care to know more detail than that are already in communication with you throughout the year. In general, avoid medical reports unless miraculous. You may be proud of the accomplishments of your extended family, but don’t include this news unless your audience also has an interest in these people. For a business greeting, a printed card with handwritten signatures (and perhaps one sentence of personal greeting) is fine.
- Don’t try to be funny or creative unless you actually are. Letters written “by” the baby or pet only appeal to a portion of your audience. (Hint: that portion is not the majority.) You want your audience to smile with fondness after reading your note, not roll their eyes!
- I highly recommend that you produce a different letter or message for each audience: business, relatives and close friends, and acquaintances.
- One or two personalized handwritten sentences on a greeting card are just as nice (nicer, I think) than a two-page photocopied letter littered with photos of people the recipient doesn’t know.
- If all this is too much this year, just pick up the phone and tell people that you love them!