AI Christmas Letter

Do you send a Christmas letter? If so, do you find it hard to write? I know that I often skip such a letter for that very reason. This year, I decided to ask ChatGPT for help.

I provided the following as a prompt for ChatGPT

Can you write a Christmas poem from the viewpoint of two retired educators (Mike and Marcia) who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2024 using the following information:

Chaos of remodeling – joy of remodeled home
50 years together on this life journey
50 years living in Seneca – Grow where planted
Recent death of Mike’s mother, JoAnne
Trek across backroads of northeast Kansas to see the Sunflowers
Sunflowers – image used on Marcia’s blog, Heartland Genealogy
Family historians – Mike works on his family sharing on Facebook; Marcia works on her family sharing on her Heartland Genealogy blog, Ancestry and WikiTree
Mike cared for a bountiful garden – sharing with neighbors
Marcia wrote daily blog posts – making “best” lists from time to time
Volunteer in the community: Mike on library board; Marcia on historical society board
Volunteer in church: Mike films worship service weekly posting to YouTube; Marcia creates script for screen used during worship each week
Civic Duty – Mike assisted county clerk with process to validate election results; Mike contributed to the Story Behind the Stars project on Fold3; Marcia worked on the Purple Heart project with Seneca being recognized as a Purple Heart city

Always learning – Marcia experiments with AI and DNA results

In less than 5 minutes I had a poem formatted in Word ready to photocopy. Below is the poem.

A Christmas Reflection from Mike and Marcia

‘Twas the season of Christmas in the year ’24,
Where memories and milestones knocked at the door.
From the chaos of remodeling to a home made anew,
A labor of patience with a breathtaking view.

Fifty years as partners, as husband and wife,
Fifty years growing strong in this shared life.
Seneca—our home—where we’ve rooted so deep,
“Grow where you’re planted,” a promise we keep.

The sunflowers called from the Kansas backroads,
Golden seas dancing in nature’s own code.
Their faces turned upward with radiant grace,
Just like Marcia’s Heartland Genealogy space.
Stories unearthed from branches once hidden,
On Ancestry, WikiTree—family tales unwritten.

While Marcia’s fingers tap keys every day,
Blog posts and “best” lists come forth in array.
Mike, ever the gardener, tends earth with care,
Sharing fresh harvests with neighbors so fair.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and greens did abound,
As gratitude echoed from all those around.

But this year’s journey had moments of grief,
We said goodbye to Joanne, her presence now brief.
Her legacy lives in each heart she’s embraced,
Her love a bright light that will never be erased.

We’re always still learning, as seekers of truth,
Volunteers in our church—a path set from youth.

Mike’s camera rolls as worship takes flight,
While Marcia’s scripts guide each Sunday’s insight.
Beyond sacred walls, civic duty called too,
Mike’s steady hand helped elections stay true.
He also honored the fallen, their sacrifice great,
With Story Behind the Stars, he’d commemorate.
Marcia’s efforts made Purple Heart pride grow,
With Seneca’s honor in a heartwarming glow.

Library and history—both anchors of old,
Mike on the board where new stories unfold.
Marcia’s keen eye on the past’s golden thread,
Keeps the tales of our town from being misread.
Together, they’re stewards of stories and lore,
From the soil of the past, fresh dreams they restore.

AI and DNA—Marcia’s new frontier,
Experimenting with tools to make matches clear.
Bubble groups and color codes organize the way,
Unlocking new family ties every day.

So here at year’s end, with reflections so clear,
We’re thankful for family, for friends gathered near.
For fifty rich seasons as partners in time,
For journeys on backroads where sunflowers shine.
A remodeled home—a reminder so strong,
That love, like good lumber, endures all along.

As Christmas lights twinkle and the new year draws close,
We’ll savor the gifts that this year has disclosed.
To grow where you’re planted, to give and to share,
To cherish the moments—the simple and rare.

Merry Christmas from Mike and Marcia—a pair full of grace,
May joy fill your heart and may love find its place.

Merry Christmas

Michael and Marcia