Round robins - what do you think of them?

[Ethel]

I hate them. People stick these circulars in the Christmas cards and expect me to spend time reading their news from the last 12 months. There is no interaction - nothing personal to the recipient whatsoever and shows no interest in the recipient. I consider it to be extremely lazy and egoistical. The sender can't be bothered to keep in touch throughout the year yet expects the readers to be enthralled at the news that little Johnny is now potty trained and Big Jim escaped with community service. That last bit is a lie, in my experience. These round robins seem to be full of self praise and a list of achievements, totally ignoring the 'bad bits'. I would far rather have short but regular emails throughout the year, just to me - a proper two way communication and relationship. Phone calls and visits would be better, but being deaf phone calls are out of the question. Or am I a miserable, ungrateful moo?

[terambulan]

Quite agree Ethel.....I get them from overseas; always annual achievements of sender but no cultural/community/environment news - my interest especially from exotic countries.

rsvp with brief printed wishes and name.

[yogasun]

No, you are not ungrateful I have always hated them.
I'm afraid that if they arrive in our Christmas post they go straight in the bin unread (except for a very quick scan to check that there has not been a bereavement, etc).
They are with few exceptions about self aggrandizement
and who gives a monkey's about whether people have put in a new kitchen or how many foreign holidays someone has? - very low down on my list of priorities.

[Ethel]

That made me laugh

[bensmum]

I don't like them either Ethel. Mercifully I get very few but I am always tempted to write one with only bad bits - like " little Johnny got jailed for 3 years after the drugs bust, Sharon has had her 5th child with 5 different fathers and she's still only 19, never mind the council has moved her to this lovely big house. She works part time at the local chippy but at least it keeps her in beer and fags...." None of this is true I hasten to add but I'd like to do it for the hell of it.

[Ethel]

:)

It would make a change from the bragworts, that's for sure

[Ethel]

I have a neighbour like that - he's first on the doorstep with news of a death, whether I know the deceased or not. 'You do - course you do. Little woman..."

Drives me potty

[yogasun]

Mr yogasun's mother used to be like that.
To save time when we used to visit them he would
say to her before even saying hello:-

OK, who has died or is at death's door?

She would say, Oh, don't be so dreadful....but you know Mrs.... she's just been taken to hospital.........etc.

[bensmum]

Lol SIRandy and yogasun - I know people like that. I come from a small town and everyone knew everyone else's business. Used to drive me mad when you get "You know so and so, married him who used to sit behind you in junior school, mother was a Jones before she got married... " and so on and so on. Mind you it saved the need for Christmas round robins! (btw Daily Express wasn't interested in "Sharon's" house - she did try to sell them the story)

[coccinelle]

They reassure the writers that they DID do something in the year and it wasn't a complete waste of time!
I send mine to aunts and uncles but each letter is personal and they're mainly enquiring about them and their families.
I however don't like getting ones which have nothing personal to me in them.

[Ethel]

coccinelle - that is a lovely letter you send, not a round robin.

A round robin is the same letter sent to many people

[coccinelle]

Well isn't really Ethel as it starts out as a round robin done on the computor, then I add and take things away from the original so it comes out personal (enquiring about people by name and not mentioning things they wouldn't be interested in), but it is typed... though I use a manuscript font! With computors I can't see how other people can't do this even if it's just to write Dear John & Sue instead of Dear All.

[Totterdown]

I start off with half the letter the same for everyone, news of my family and their exploits, holidays etc. Then the second half make it personal to each person, i.e asking about their family members mentioning things I know what they were hoping for (for instance one was hoping to adopt a child), always promising to make an effort to visit, which I try to do. I do these letters (on the whole) not instead of phone calls and e-mails, but in addition to. Some people I keep in touch with more than others. Some only at Christmas. I enjoy sending and receiving these letters but I do not think anyone is a miserable, ungrateful moo if they do not. Everyone is different.