The looming Christmas letter

I grew up in a household where we wrote thank you cards. I also wrote a letter that accompanied my high school graduation invitations. I am a writer, and I thought that the recipients of my graduation invites, would want to know what I was up to after graduation. It worked well. So, every year Adam and I have been together, I have written a Christmas letter to send out with our Christmas cards. I grew up with my dad writing our Christmas letter that went out, usually after Christmas. His were always funny and witty and clever. They were a lot to live up to.

This year, I have ordered our Christmas cards. I have them ready to be addressed and mailed. But I'm faced with this looming task of a Christmas letter. I just can't write it. I've started it three different times. I've tried three different formats. I've tried a clever poem. I've tried writing it from our dog. I've tried a traditional letter updating our friends and family on the past year. But I just. can't. write. it.

How do I write a Christmas letter without talking about the two life changing, perspective altering, heart breaking events that occured in 2010? And conversely? How do I write a Christmas letter and talk about two miscarriages that nearly ripped our hearts in two? How do I put into words the despair we felt this year? And yet, how do I pretend like it hasn't happened and write a letter about all the blessings we have felt this year? It's like a looming topic that I don't want to talk about anymore, but one that I feel like absolutely defines our year.

I'm going to keep trying to write the letter, but if you get a card without a letter, don't take it personally. It's not meant to offend. It's just that I can't find the words or the politically correct way to write a Christmas letter after an incredibly difficult year.

One thing I do know is that 2011 will be much better than 2010. I know that for sure.