As Christmas approaches, my family has been receiving Christmas cards from our friends and relatives. Most of these are lovely – they often include a small snapshot from the year that shows how much the kids have grown, and the cards are an easy way to wish us a happy holiday season. We’ve even received a few Christmas letters, which always excite me, because I love to read about how relatives I’ve never met in states I’ve never been to are doing.

Our family writes our own Christmas letter. Well, as I’m the only writer in a family comprised of an accounting professor, a chief financial officer and a student studying accounting and finance, you can guess who actually writes it.

And every year, as I eagerly digest my relatives’ years, I always think about how I’m not going to write my letter. So, in the spirit of conveying your family’s accomplishments properly and without annoying any writers, I’ve put together a list of tips for writing the perfect holiday letter: