Last Word on Letters

Over the years, the letter has served mankind well as a means of communication.

In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, journalist Juliet Ashton employed the letter to gather research for her latest writing project. Through this cross channel exchange, Juliet learned about the island, the  society’s taste in books and the impact of  German occupation on their tiny homeland.

In 84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff originally used the letter as a purchase order for out-of-print, hard-to-find books.  Later the transatlantic correspondence fostered a deep friendship between Hanff and bookseller, Frank Doel.

In Founding Mothers, letters crisscrossed the original 13 colonies with private news, political opinions, pleas for money and accounts of war and an emerging nation.

Has the letter become obsolete in our society of cell phones, laptops and text messaging?
In ancient times, the written message was scratched onto leather or papyrus with a goose quill or split reed dipped in sticky ink.  The average piece of papyrus held roughly 140 words. Penning three syllables required one minute and an hour’s work resulted in about 72 words.

When completed, the short letter was folded before being sealed with pitch or wax.  A long letter would be wrapped in another sheet of papyrus before being tied with a small cord and then sealed.

In contrast, today’s technology has made written communication almost effortless.
Major corporations especially those with a global presence are switching to Instant Messaging (IM) instead of telephone and voice mail communication.   Corresponding via IM is less intrusive, more concise and can  sometimes prevent misunderstandings.

The adage, ‘open mouth – insert foot’, would no longer apply since few of us can write without some forethought. Other attributes include: communication with more than one person at a time and recordability.

Granted, an IM print out does not resemble the letter of days gone by, but it’s written communication, isn’t it.

What’s wrong with composing a letter using the family PC?
Busy families find the computer a valuable tool when compiling the once-a-year, Christmas letter.   The ‘brag sheet’ has earned its derogatory name since many proud parents use the holidays as a time to boast about their family’s accomplishments.

To make your Christmas letter enjoyable for all:

• Use everyday words so your recipients  can ‘hear’  you.
• Cut down on the use of unnecessary adjectives, too.
• Read your letter aloud – does it flow?  Is it interesting?
• It’s hard, but try not to exaggerate – let the events speak for themselves.
• Focus on the highlights of the year – one or two typed pages should be sufficient.  If not, write another letter in a few months.
• Digital photography makes it easy to  liven up your letter with photos.

Remember who will be reading the letter.  The pages  should entertain those who aren’t familiar with the daily happenings of your household, but still hold the attention of close family members.

(After my aunt had raved about our Christmas letter for several years,  my mother demanded a copy  for herself.   Since we kept in close contact with Mother during the year, I never imagined she’d want a repeat of old news.  She did!!)

Be sure to finish off with a personal, handwritten note at the end.  If you get writer’s block every December, try the instant Christmas story generator at www.christmaslettertips.com and just fill in the blanks.

For pain-free communication, try the Eee PC, a miniature laptop small enough to fit in a purse.  With a battery life of four to six hours, the writer can comfortably compose a letter, update a blog, or send an e-mail while enjoying the great outdoors or a cup of coffee at the local bookstore.

Realistically speaking, the days of the handwritten letter on perfumed stationary are dead and gone.  Whether it be instant messaging, e-mail, blogging or a conventional letter, staying in touch with those you love has never been easier. Give it a try!!