The Christmas Letter

A few years ago, I learned about writing a Christmas letter to a loved one. At first I wondered what can I say in a letter that I can not say to the person. Time taught me the Christmas letter or you might say the Christmas love letter is a treasure that can be revisited many times over. The letter is especially valuable if it is found many years after its writing.

My grandchild is now nine years old. I wrote the letter to her when she was about two years old. Recently she found it in our stash of Christmas decorations. For her it was as if she was opening a time capsule. She laughed at some of the things I said to her in the letter. At other times she could not believe she did some of the things I described to her. In the long run, she appreciated finding the letter and reading it to me.The letter was returned to our stash of Christmas ornaments to be read again in years to come. I think I will store the letters in a beautiful keepsake box. She will be able to read the letters as a holiday tradition as well as share them with her children.

When I first wrote the Christmas letters, I did not fully understand their value. Now I know the letters are like a stamp. The spoken words may be forgotten over time but when those same words are put on paper, they take people back to a happy place and a happy time in their lives. Thats like a stamp on their DNA!

I also learned the words read in the letter help loved ones answer questions about themselves and offer closure regarding their relationship with you. It is a way to say I thought enough of you to share my thoughts in hopes of letting you know how I truly feel about you.

In our current culture, people are accustomed to communicating with others by way of electronic media. People are too busy to put a pen to paper and write their personal thoughts to a special person in their lives. But think about it. We have allowed speed and convenience to come between validating our loved ones and giving them something they may find as a life saver years down the road. A Christmas love letter is a piece of you written by you.

The age of the recipient of the Christmas letter is not a concern. Writing a letter to a new born child will bring warm cozy feelings when that person is in his or her teens. It says, I thought enough of you to let you know I was there when you came into this world. I was there in heart and spirit. Even if you were ten-thousand miles away when the child was born, it says, I was there for you.

A teenager is validated when they read a Christmas love letter from someone they cherish or feel they need approval from. It says to the teenager, inspite of all the demands made on you, I want you to know how I truly feel about you. You matter to me. This could be the letter that encourages the teenager to stick with the program and become the person he or she was meant to be.

A spouse whose busy making a life for the family does not always feel appreciated. But a Christmas love letter is confirmation that its all worth it. Stick with it because someone does care about all that you are doing.

An elderly person living alone or with family does not always feel as if she/he is part of the family. Everyone is too busy to stop and talk like they used to. The letter says, I know you are here and I know you made major sacrifices for me. Now I want to let you know how much I appreciate all you did and continue to do.

A Christmas letter from a friend to a friend is a way of saying, I am so fortunate to have you in my life. You understand me although we might not always agree. You accept me for who I am and I value your friendship.

Anyone that has made a significant impact or difference in your life qualifies for a Christmas letter. It communicates to the recipient, the year gone by may have had a few ups and downs but it does not mean you were not valued in my life. A Christmas love letter says I care about you.

Although the letter is meant to be an expression of affection and appreciation, there are specific things a person may say in a Christmas love letter. Before you pull out the pen and paper, you already know what you want to say to the recipient of the letter. The following suggestions may help you put in writing what you want to say...

1. Think about what is strongest in your heart. How do you feel about that person?
2. What happened between you and the recipient that makes you feel grateful to have him/her in your life?
3. Write about something that helped you get through an event. What role did that person play in your experience? The significance of their part is not the issue but the fact that the person was there is what is important.
4. How would you feel years from now if that letter was shared with you? Would you regret saying what you said or would you feel thankful you approached the letter from one of appreciation for the individual?
5. What is your objective in writing the letter? Do you want to validate the person? Do you want to share a special moment or event that only happens once in a life time?
6. Remember, your Christmas letter will become a time capsule that will bless all involved parties or it will be a reminder of an not so pleasant incident that does not need to be relived.
7. Write all your thoughts on a piece of paper. Don't worry about making sense of those thoughts, you want to put them on paper. After all your thoughts are on paper, organize them and write the letter.

After you have gathered your thoughts and you're ready to write the letter, do it! it is not uncommon for a person to get as far as organizing their thoughts and not writing the letter. The reasons they choose not to give the letter to the recipient are as numerous as there are stars in the sky.

But think of how you would feel if you received a very, very special gift from the heart. This gift is your private thoughts put to pen and paper. The recipient may appreciate your time and efforts. Or the recipient may not understand the reason you wrote the letter. When it is all said and done, you expressed your most vulnerable thoughts with someone that mattered to you.

The type paper you write the letter on is not important.You may use lined paper from a notebook or you may purchase fine quality paper and pen for the occasion. The most important thing is you expressed something very personal and delivered it to the individual.

You could put the letter in plan view on the Christmas tree or deliver it in person to the recipient. Giving the letter to the recipient is as valuable as signing the U.S. Constitution. It is your bill of appreciation for someone important in your life.