Behold a card from the family of a man with whom the OH used to work about 20 years ago. He lives in upstate New York, commuting distance from Manhattan and, when we were in more regular contact, he was already doing very well for himself.
We get a card from them every year, and it’s our only contact. Awkwardly, I never know whether or not to reciprocate: we’ve never met their children and I think they might have met the BW only once, as a baby.
I have pixellated the faces because you never know who’s looking.
I think this year’s offering is particularly strange. You’ll notice that, despite the white snowflakes, it doesn’t even purport to be a Christmas card. It’s not even red. That Happy Holiday is more postcard from a lovely holiday spent catching big fish, I’d say. There is another fish on the reverse and the 12 year old child appears to be winning a race in the other picture.
So what is the intention of this card? It’s not a Christmas (or “Happy Holidays“) card at all, is it? It’s like a postcard cum newsletter (people use cum to mean / in India all the time) cum smug Round Robin with minimal input. Why on earth would you send someone a card like this at Christmas time, especially someone with whom you last had meaningful contact decades ago?
I am perplexed.
I believe this type of card is normal in the US. My mother-in-law receives a similar one from old American friends every year. This year’s photos include a new addition: a grandchild.
That I understand, and we do too from these people, but there is scant attempt to try to make it look festive.
I agree with Annette. There tends to be a culture of “bragging” and competition in the US. It has crept in with the Round Robin letters here, but I think the Americans are more into making sure you know how well they are doing and not so subtly rubbing your nose in their success.
Actually, it’s nothing compared to the suburban oneupmanship to which I’m accustomed.
I thought cum was in widespread use in the sense you are using it? Certainly used here a lot.