When Janet Colbrunn and her family moved to Clarkston in 1985, she wanted to share the news with friends in a Christmas letter.
Aware that some readers consider such letters boring and boastful, she wanted to try something new.
She found some stationary left behind by the former owners with a picture of the house printed on it. Her idea: write the letter from the house’s point of view.
‘It added humor,? Colbrunn said. ‘It’s creative ? allows communication with friends in a way that’s a bit unusual.?
She, her husband, Donn, and their three children have written creative Christmas letters every year since, working activities and milestones of the year into formats such as top-ten lists, puzzles, newspapers, kid quotes, statistics, acrostics:
A-crostics
L-ike
T-his
O-ne
‘My children are grown, and they still do it,? she said. ‘My friends encouraged me to put them together in a book.?
Her self-published book, ‘Ideas for Writing Creative Christmas Letters That People Are Actually Eager to Read,? is available for $14.95 at bookstores and at her website WritingCreativeChristmasLetters.com.
Her letter-writing process involves the whole family, she said.
‘It’s a bonding experience ? everyone participates,? she said.
She will host a Christmas letter-writing seminar, 7 p.m., Oct. 19, at Fellowship Hall, Clarskton Free Methodist Church at Maybee Road and Winell Street. The seminar is free and open to the public. She will also have a book signing 1-3 p.m., Oct. 21, at Borders on Baldwin Road near Great Lakes Crossing.
For more information, call 248-821-8106.