this wasn't in the plan |but life is still pretty good

This post originally appeared on November 14, 2007. It is by far my most popular article I've ever written (you'd be surprised - or maybe not - by how many people google "creative Christmas letter" even in the middle of March). With many people tightening their budgets, I imagine mailed Christmas cards will be among the things to go this year, with many people perhaps opting to send out electronic versions instead. I love receiving a Christmas card in the mail, so I plan to try and send some out this year to return the favor, so to speak. What are your Christmas card plans for this year?

I always love reading all the "this is what our family has done this year" letters that we receive in Christmas cards. Even growing up I thought it was great fun to read letters from friends of my parents that I had never met. Ever since we've been married, The Tall One and I have sent out a Christmas card letter. Last year I was tired of the same old same old and went for something different. I created a timeline that highlighted a few events from the past year. Here are some other ideas for sending out a Christmas letter that's a little different:

Use Numbers
Try and convert events from your family's year into statements relating to numbers, for example:

We moved ONE time this year, from Smallville to Metropolis
We spent TWO days at Funland this summer
John hit THREE homeruns this past baseball season
Mary got FOURth place in the state spelling bee
Dad planted FIVE rows of corn in the garden this summer

Use the Alphabet
Try to come up with an acrostic poem using things that happened to your family in the past year, for example:

W e moved from Smallville to Metropolis
H ad a great time visiting Funland this summer
A unt Sue visited us for Thanksgiving
T he boys did a great job on their baseball teams this spring

A nd Dad had fun coaching Timmy's team

Y es, Dad still works for ABC Company
E veryone is doing great in school
A lso, mom joined a tennis leauge
R eally, we all had a wonderful 2007

Change the Point of view
Let each kid write a sentence or two describing their year, or let the kids write the whole letter. If you have a pet, you could write the letter from the pet's point of view.

Make Some Predictions
I read a letter at my parent's house last year that was written in two parts, the first half in January with the predictions for what the year would bring and the second half at the end of the year with what really happened. This would have to wait for 2008's Christmas letter, obviously.

Keep it Simple
Come up with one or two sentences for each family member that recaps their year. Make those sentences be apart of the card (as opposed to on a separate paper), perhaps written under the family picture, or just have individual shots of each family member with the recap under the appropriate picture.

Those are some of the ideas I've had as I think about what to do this year. Any other ideas?