family matters
i
HOLIDAY LETTERS
flunked obedience school again?
Put it in. “Humor's a great strategy,”
says Keely Chace, a communications
specialist at Hallmark Cards who has
written messages inside hundreds of
birthday, valentine, and other greeting
cards. “Everyone likes to laugh, and it’s
an instant way to reach out and connect.
And it offsets the bragging a little.”
/ T
DON’T BOAST—
^—| j TOO MUCH
It’s all right to mention
accomplishments—they’re part of the
year’s progress. But hold back the big
raise, board memberships, and college
test scores, and don’t be afraid to
mention a setback as well as achieve-
ments. If you really want to note
something you’re proud of, suggests
Nordquist, use a little end-run humor.
“Diffuse the self-consciousness of
bragging by joking about it. Say, ‘This is
the bragging part of the letter,’ or ‘Let
me boast for just a minute.’ It magically
takes the boastfulness out of it.”
S
DRESS IT UP, BUT
KEEP IT CLEAN
One easy-to-read type style and
a couple of scanned photos give a more
inviting look than letters loaded with
scripts and draped in clip art off the
Internet. “Don’t put more effort in the
design and the layout than on the
content itself,” says Nordquist.
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INCLUDE NOTES OF
THE SEASON
Describe an interesting family
tradition, a great-tasting recipe you
tried at Thanksgiving, or your new
aluminum Christmas tree. “Mention
why this holiday is special,” says
Chace. “What are the things that are
happening in your home? What’s the
flavor of your holiday?”
BE POSITIVE
You may feel duty-bound to
let people know about a major
surgery, a death in the family, or the
flood that forced a renovation. And
that’s fine. But skip the gallstones
episode and that plaintive whine about
all of us getting older. People want to
feel good this time of year.
HANDW RITEANOTE
“It’s hard to make these letters
feel personal; they have a
broadcast feel,” says Chace. “A hand-
written note at the end gives it that
authentic touch. Say something
specific that couldn’t be said to anyone
else—a certain memory or an inside
joke, or how you’re looking forward to
seeing them.”
READ ALOUD
Listen to what the text sounds
like when read out loud. You’ll
be able to tell whether the letter sounds
conversational. And some grammatical
or other problems that you don’t see on
the page become evident. “You’re not
writing a composition for English class,
so you don’t have to be formal. But the
letter has to make sense and be read-
able,” says Nordquist.
BE YOURSELF
Avoid starched phrases and
grandiose words that would
never float through your
regular conversations. Relax. “Don’t get
too self-conscious about the way you
write,” says Chace. “It’s not supposed to
be poetry, it’s supposed to be you.”
Say “cheese!”
Jazz up your holiday
letter or cards with a
well-planned family
photo. Som e tips:
■ Get help.
Ask a neighbor
or friend to snap the shot.
Everyone in the fam ily should
be in the fram e, includingyou!
■ Use existing light.
Shoot in available light, not
with cam era flashes or studio
lights. Diffused sunlight,
lamp light, or overhead light
produces a m ore natural look
and w ards o ff “ red eye.” (If you
must use aflash , don’t have
subjects look directly into the
cam era.) If it’s convenient,
take the photos outdoors; try
to shoot in early m orning or
late afternoon.
■ Act natural.
Everyone will
want to pose at first. But keep
the cam era hoisted long
enough to grab those relaxed
grins and warm hugs. Go ahead
and say “ ch eese” — it distracts
from self-consciousness yet
readies p eop leforth e click.
■ Do a wardrobe check.
Bright colors are fun and
expected. But if yours is a
large family, avoid patterned
clothing, which would make
a busy-looking photo.
■ Add personality.
Let the
dog lean in, oryou r daughter
clutch her favorite doll. They all
add up to family.
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DECEMBER2008 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
P H O T O : V E E R
