Some would say a family newsletter is all about bragging. There are people who would say, “I love hearing what’s happening in our family. I just don’t have time to write or even call family members!” To me, a family newsletter is like a cup of hot tea; it just hits the spot!
When my family approached me about writing a family newsletter, I was elated. Since I was a kid, I had written the family tree names in my parents’ old Bible. As a young adult, I researched both sides of my parents’ trees and presented a booklet to family members. Still later, as a church secretary, I not only put together a church newsletter, but a church secretary’s newsletter.
If you wish to do a newsletter, or to approach someone in your family to do one, make sure that he or she loves this kind of work. Here are some questions to think about:
Do they type and use a computer (they don’t have to be a pro)? When they send out Christmas or birthday cards, do they add an extra sheet and tell interesting things? Do they try to keep in contact with family? What are their interests? Do they have time to do the work? Would they truly enjoy doing this type of work?
With nine siblings, and our 50 plus offspring, I felt I wouldn’t have a problem with responses. No matter how big or how small a family, when you do something from the heart, it will be meaningful for others.
How did I get the word out before computer and e-mails? Every October, I mailed my siblings a notice with the due date for a Christmas family newsletter. I asked them to tell their children, which saved me money in postage. Nowadays, I have the advantage of doing the work on a computer, using graphics and photos and saving money through e-mail.
In my first notice, I told everyone that I realized some people just plain hate to write. I gave my telephone number and told them to call me and I’d write their information down. I also gave prompts, such as the following: Did you and your family go on vacation? If so, tell us about it. What are your hobbies and interests? Tell me special things that happened in your family this year.
Of course, everyone has procrastinators in the family. I sometimes received responses the day before I was ready to photocopy the letter. I just added their page “as is” at the end. Having learned from hindsight, I should have told everyone that I will not accept anything after the due date, and stick to it. I would also ask that they try to limit the response to one page.
I paid the expenses of the newsletter through two nephews who were in a business. They allowed me to use their copier (60 booklets, usually 10 pages, back and front). I provided the paper through donations, which I asked for each year. In each newsletter, I acknowledged the donor’s name, but not the amount.
What did the booklet include? I wanted the family to relate to our rich Pennsylvania Dutch heritage and farm life. Interspersed on the pages were graphics of farm scenes and animals and Pennsylvania Dutch sayings with the English translation. On the cover of each issue was a sketch of the farmstead. I also used photos, but they didn’t copy well at times. What is your heritage? Get the family interested!
My first newsletter was dedicated to my late parents. After that, it was in memory of whoever passed away during that year.
I called the first newsletter “Getting to Know You.” If a niece or nephew didn’t respond, I’d ask the siblings news about his or her children. I was bound everyone would be covered.
Here are a few more ideas to make your family newsletter interesting: I ask for poetry from the poets in the family and small drawings if they are artists. I asked my siblings to recall their memories of our grandparents, aunts and uncles and farm life, plus the pranks we pulled on one another. I also asked the nephews and nieces their memories of Grandma and Grandpa when visiting the farm. I did a biography of my father and one on my mother (I had asked them plenty of questions when they were still living). I did a biography of my father and his twin brother during their World War I stint, which included artifacts, muster rolls, sketches of the battle field, history of their infantry and more. I included my four brothers, “in their own words,” about their stints in the Air Force, Navy and Army. In addition, I included only photos of nieces and nephews who had served.
I researched the relations (first, second and third cousins), the Christman surname origin and coat of arms (not every family has one) and our German ancestry. I wrote up my parent’s love story, with their wedding photo, and invited others to send in their wedding photo and love story. I researched our family farmstead, including history of previous families who lived there and some fascinating wills. I included the family tree I had drawn up many years before.
After the 11th printing of the Christman Family newsletter, I decided it was time to end it. I was heading for retirement and wished to devote my time to freelance writing. Alas, no one else in the family had enough of an interest to continue the newsletter.
Through the years, my husband and I took the grandchildren and his nieces and nephew on a summer vacation for a few days. At various times, the children turned 13 and preferred to be with their peers, which we understood. But, it bothered me when I considered how I could keep in contact with these children, who were growing up. I found the ideal thing to do: I started a monthly newsletter, for only for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In between, I try to get all of us together for breakfast. At times, it’s hard to choose a date and time because of school college, and jobs.
Although I continued to send Christmas cards after ending the family newsletter, I always felt the newsletter was so much more personal. It wasn’t a mass produced Christmas card with only a signature and a few comments. It was about family. It was about memories. It was about keeping in touch in a more personal way. It was about knowing and caring about what’s happening to other family members. It’s a biography we’ve written about ourselves. It’s a history about ourselves. Our heritage lives on through the family newsletter. And yes, like a cup of hot tea, it just hits the spot!
Carole Christman Koch grew up in Berks County and has been published in numerous publications. She has a passion for writing and has many stories from growing up on a farm to everyday stories.
