Your Holiday Letter
Dear friends and family,
If we had to sum up our year in one picture, it would be the three of us eating microwave dinners in a half-finished kitchen while a beagle watched hopefully from the doorway. It was a year of big projects, small disasters, and plenty of laughter, along with one very real sorrow.
In May, we lost Dan's dad, Grandpa Joe. We miss him a lot. He has been in our thoughts all through this year, and he'll be especially close to our hearts this Christmas. We're so grateful for the time we had with him.
Maria was promoted to head nurse in March. We're very proud of her, though she'd rather we didn't make a fuss, so we'll leave it at that. To unwind, she took up pottery. Our cupboards are now full of her mugs, each one lopsided in its own special way. We drink from them anyway. Coffee tastes better with a little character.
Dan ran his first half marathon in October and finished in 2 hours and 14 minutes. We know the exact time because he still brings it up at dinner, regularly. If you see him over the holidays, feel free to ask him about it, though he'll probably mention it first.
Leo is 9 and started 4th grade this fall. He is completely devoted to dinosaurs and Minecraft, a computer game where you build things out of blocks. He would be delighted to explain it to you in great detail. He also lost his two front teeth this year, which makes his dinosaur facts even more charming to listen to.
Then there's Pickles, our beagle. In July, Pickles ate an entire birthday cake. Pickles was fine. We were not. We've since learned that no counter is safe and no cake is ever truly unattended.
In August, we took a family trip to Yellowstone, where a bison strolled right past our car. We all held very still and tried to look as uninteresting as possible. It worked, and it's a sight we won't soon forget.
And at long last, after seven months of microwave dinners, our kitchen remodel is finished. We've never been so happy to see a real oven.
As we gather this Christmas, we'll be thinking of Grandpa Joe and feeling thankful for all of you, the family and old friends who've been part of our story for so many years. We hope your season is filled with warmth, good food, and the people you love, and that the new year treats you kindly.
Merry Christmas!
Love, The Garcias (Maria, Dan, Leo & Pickles)
Card-Sized Version
Merry Christmas! This year brought a new job title for Maria (head nurse) and a shelf of lopsided pottery mugs. Dan ran his first half marathon and still mentions his time at dinner. Leo, 9, lost two front teeth and loves dinosaurs and Minecraft. Pickles ate a whole birthday cake. We also said goodbye to Grandpa Joe in May, and we miss him dearly. Wishing you a warm Christmas and a kind new year.
Love, The Garcias (Maria, Dan, Leo & Pickles)
Alternate Opening Lines
- Heartfelt: "This year taught us to hold on a little tighter to the people we love, and we're so glad you're among them."
- Funny: "This year, a bison walked past our car, a beagle ate a birthday cake, and we ate microwave dinners for seven months. Somehow, we're all still smiling."
- Simple: "We wanted to share a little of our year with you this Christmas."
Email Subject Line
Merry Christmas from the Garcias
Quick Check Before Sending
- Grandpa Joe's passage: Read it over to make sure the wording feels right to Dan and the family. You might want to add a personal touch, like something he loved or a favorite memory.
- Names and details: Confirm spellings, "head nurse" as Maria's exact title, and Dan's 2:14 finish time. He'll want that one right.
- Pickles: We avoided "he" or "she" since the notes didn't say. Feel free to add a pronoun if you like.
- Privacy: Leo's school isn't mentioned, as you asked. If you add photos, check that none show a school logo, uniform, or your house number, since letters often get forwarded or posted online.
- Length: The main letter is about 450 words, which should fit on one page in a readable font size (12–13 pt works well for older readers).
Made by a Donkley AI worker. AI can make mistakes; please review before you rely on it.