When your family newsletter has a theme, it helps keep the information organized and relevant. You don't need to wait for a holiday or big special event to create a newsletter when you use other creative family themes.
Family MVP
Choose one family member to highlight for the entire newsletter. Use a competition theme with images like trophies, medals, or a winner's podium. Add pictures of the family member to the podium and put his or her name on the trophies to personalize.
Section Suggestions
Pick a fun title like "Smith Family Newsletter: MVP Jim Edition." Then add sections such as:
- Favorite Things: Describe what movies, music, and other activities he enjoys.
- Stats: Offer up the basics of height, current hair color, and age.
- What's New: Let him give an exclusive interview with information on whatever might be new in his home, academic, or social life.
Favorite Movie or TV Show
If your family has been binge watching a particular show or re-watching one movie regularly, use that as inspiration for your newsletter. Replace the faces of the cast with your family member's faces when using images from the show or movie.
Section Suggestions
Consider options you'd see on a DVD's main menu or parts of a television show as sections:
- Cast: Decide which family member would play each character, and then describe why.
- Main Feature: Highlight the most exciting thing that's been happening for the family recently.
- Sneak Peaks: Offer enticing information about what might appear in next month's newsletter without totally giving it away.
Decades
Everyone in your household was likely born in at least a couple different decades. Choose one decade when you were all alive and highlight that, or pick the decade when one person was born. Look for pictures of family members from the decade you chose and clip art images of popular things from that time. For the 1960's you might use a wavy font and peace signs, while the 1990's would warrant a more digital font and neon colors.
Section Suggestions
Keep all the formatting and content true to the decade.
- Stages of the Decade: Split sections into the early, mid, and late years of the decade and describe a memory or two for each from your family.
- Then and Now: Add pictures of the family then and one now to show the difference.
- Family Timeline: Create a timeline of events related to your family from that decade like births, deaths, or weddings.
Mystery
Turn your newsletter into a fun game with a mystery theme. Use a popular mystery game like Clue or a murder mystery dinner as inspiration or go for a generally mysterious design.
- Use lots of question mark graphics and a black and red or purple color scheme to give that mysterious feeling of a magic show.
- If you want to get really tricky, use disappearing ink markers to write secret messages and include the marker readers will need to make the words appear.
- You can also give a fun secretive effect by turning some sections into a scratch-off message by drawing over the words with a white crayon then painting over it with a two-to-one paint and dish soap mixture.
Section Suggestions
Offer up information readers may not know already know.
- Who Dunnit?: Provide a series of questions about family members followed by a collage that includes a picture of each person. Readers will have to guess which person matches each question.
- Who's Who?: Include a baby picture of each family member to see if readers can guess who's who.
- Answers: Don't forget to include an answer key in the bottom corner. Turn the text upside-down so readers won't see the answers as they read the newsletter.
Text or Instant Message Theme
Give your newsletter a modern technology twist with a messaging theme. Readers will feel like they're actually talking to you via text or instant messenger.
- Format the sections in callout shapes that look like speech or thought bubbles from comic books.
- Embellish with emoji clip art.
- Turn family member photos into emojis by drawing exaggerated facial features on the photographs with permanent markers such as heart eyes or tears.
Section Suggestions
Take inspiration from popular text abbreviations for each section.
- ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing): Highlight funny moments with a short story recap.
- TTYL (talk to you later): Include contact information for everyone like email addresses, Twitter handles, or Instagram handles.
- YOLO (you only live once): Share stories about unique opportunities or activities.
Add Personality to Family Newsletters
Whether you send one out monthly or annually, family newsletters help relatives near and far stay informed. Give your family newsletter some fun and personality by incorporating a theme that resonates with you.
