DEAR ABBY: Is there any way to end the “holiday newsletter”? Every Christmas, I get one from a particular family member, which invariably includes a list of their glowing accomplishments, expensive trips, etc., accompanied by lots of photos. Nobody else in our family sends these kinds of letters, and I don’t know how they feel about receiving it. Last December, I couldn’t even read it because it made me so depressed.

My siblings and I are all in our 60s and 70s and spread out across the U.S. We have diverse lifestyles, incomes, etc. Most of us can’t afford the kind of vacations this sibling writes about. Many of us also have personal, painful things going on in our lives, which we don’t really want to discuss.

Is it better to just not read the newsletter? I don’t believe this sibling means to be insensitive, and I don’t think I could ever bring the subject up for discussion. I just know I’m already dreading December’s letter. Please let everyone out there know: no more holiday newsletters. Thank you. — UNWANTED RECAP IN THE WEST

DEAR UNWANTED: Many folks send holiday newsletters because they are an easy way to stay in touch with friends and relatives they don’t see or communicate with often. The letters are often polished up — even embellished — because everyone wants to present their best image. Because these communications are often welcomed, I’m hesitant to advise readers not to send them. However, because you find them depressing, either shred them unopened or delete them if they arrive electronically.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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