Just a thought about Round Robins

Take two minutes to write a postcard, spend the money on a second class stamp and tell this person you no longer wish to receive these missives from her. It clearly annoys you so cut out the stress with the cost of a stamp.

I always receive letters from friends who have been on lovely exotic holidays etc, however, their joy is my joy. My letters back, are probably a bit boring as I don’t go many places. Even when I’m going through a bad time, why wouldn’t want to know what other are getting up to. Everyone has good times and bad times, I would certainly not tell anyone of my bad times at Christmas, that would be just plain mean. I would never regard this type of letter as a boast. I think you’re looking at it the wrong way and perhaps with green eyes.

Oh dear!! I must confess that I am the sender of round robins at Christmas. I always innocently thought my friends and relations would like to hear what I and my children had done in the last year, but now I will never send one again.
I will just send a card saying, "Love from (my name) . That is all I usually get from my friends, so I know they are still alive. And that is all.

I’m with Merlotgran and Sarahellen - don’t open it or have a laugh at their smugness, karma will get them one day - it always does!

Haha it must be a Canadian thing! We used to get exactly the same from former friends who emigrated there over 40 years ago, eventually I stopped reading their missives and tore them up knowing that another friend would get exactly the same letter and would let us know anything useful, then when I decided to not send them even a card saying Merry Christmas they must’ve taken the hint and ignored us ever since! Yay!

Gosh I am just surprised so many of you get these. I have never had one. I keep in touch with some good friends who moved on Facebook Messenger group. They come back twice each year to visit and they do not brag just tell it as it is the good and the bad as we do.

I send one and I like receiving them. Am I a Gransnet oddity?

I like this idea of unsubscribing too .

Glad it is not just me then....had a shitty year with poorly DH and then receive an RR from a couple who were friends with him and his first wife. My first response was to write back and tell them exactly how much time we have spent in hospital, on 999 calls and in day wards while the NHS try to save his life. Thoughtless, smug and selfish. Rant over!

We get two every year, they are quite informative but one of the couples I have not seen since 1990 as they live abroad. He was a colleague of DH so we often do know who he is referring too when he talks of friends.

I like them. The few I get are from a previous employer I was very fond of, a couple of old college friends and people I worked with and liked, and the widower of a very dear school friend who died far too young. In all these cases, I’m happy to hear what they’ve been up to, and how life’s treating them. It’s good to remember auld acquaintance and reminisce a bit at this time of year.

In fact, I’d like to know more about farflung cousins and friends I haven’t seen for years. I don’t feel the need to ring them or be in constant touch - we’ve all got busy lives - but it’d be good to know what they’ve been up to.

I can’t say I’ve ever had one of the bragging, boasting sort. I’ve met a few people over the years who probably send them, but can’t think why I would ever have given them my address.

Anyone who has time to sit and write a whole page about their amazing life, obviously doesn't have one!

We have very similar friends. They habitually write "in the first quarter we did this, in the second quarter we travelled the world, in the third quarter....." etc. etc. You get the picture. Never any mention of how we are, what we have been doing and whether it has been an awful year [it has]. Two years ago, decided no longer to write because after 50 years of this, enough is enough. Wonder whether we shall hear this year?

I'm with you momb. I don't mind rrs at all. However, my proviso is that it has to be a family I'm decidedly interested in for whatever reason. Any other category wouldn't even be read.

merlotgran. Don't open it and dispose with anything else you send for paper /card re- cycling.

They have made the effort to write to you. If you really don't want that then say so. What some see as bragging others see as saying what has happened in their life and reaching out to you to stay in touch. . They sent it to you, they have thought of you.
Merry Christmas.

We used to get one from the Next Door Neighbour

Some RR writers wouldn't know 'self deprecating' if it jumped up and bit them. As soon as I see those words 'Dear Friends' I'm like Graham Norton with his hand hovering over the eject lever for the red chair.

We used to receive a regular RR from my brother's MiL who is sadly no longer with us. She was deadly serious in RL. I don't think I ever heard her crack a joke and her letters were full of achievements and success (she had a large family ) but they were a joy to read because she was incapable of hiding the truth. The new and expensive ranch style fence surrounding their large property was not to frame the beautiful view to the rear but to contain the adopted dog which everyone nick-named Houdini.

When a RR lands on your mat in early December (they are often the first thing you receive) you wonder if they were written in the summer like a TV Christmas Special.

Well said, mumofmadboys. I know I'm sentimental but I too actually like hearing from my old friends, especially if we can't see each other in person much. They don't have perfect lives and neither do I, but I appreciate their effort and I often reply in the New Year. When I do send an annual newsletter I always keep it as low-key and tactful as possible - it isn't that difficult. I don't quite understand this fashion for being so dismissive of round robins; to me it's just as smug as sending an annoying one!

Oh, and I send one out, as above.

Generally I like RRs. I have occasionally received ones which are one long boast, but generally they are from family and friends updating us on family affairs over the past year. Both of us come from big families, where our generation of first cousins try to keep in touch.

We do have family gatherings, but find at these you end up having a quick word with everyone and a conversation with no-one and I welcome the annual round-ups that arrive with the card.

Love this...the idea of unsubscribing to these awful Christmas letters haha

I had a friend like that, I always felt she was trying to belittle my family with her stories. I've now moved and not passed on my new address, job done!

mumofmadboys, I'm with you. I really enjoy reading about other people's achievements, their travels etc. When I do see the sender, it gives me something I can ask further about. Nobody makes you read them and it all seems like sour grapes to me to dismiss them as boasting about their perfect lives.
These all ended when the eldest fathered a baby at 18.
Not exactly anything to be ashamed of if the son stepped up to his responsibilities and surely another generation to 'boast' about!

The late lamented Simon Hoggart had a brilliant column in the Guardian newspaper where he took readers examples of Round Robin letters and ‘analysed ‘ them. It was hilarious and sadly missed. Having laughed about and scorned them for many years, this year I put a very short one into some of my cards. It was extremely brief, didn’t brag, simply acknowledging we were still alive and kicking. Happy Christmas everyone !