| Most people don’t write thank you notes anymore….most younger people anyway. And frankly, I think it’s bleeding over into the older generation as well. It’s very sad…….and lazy. Man, oh man is it lazy. Do you mean to tell me that you’re so busy that you can’t spend 5 minutes writing a thank you note to someone who took the time to send you a gift? Oh please. If that offended you, you probably aren’t writing thank you notes. Yes, I know most people now send thank you emails. That’s great……but it’s not your best work. Just think about how wonderful someone feels to go to the mailbox and get a note from you that says “Thanks for the gift!” Isn’t that worth your time? I think so. Most people don’t know how to write a thank you note, so I did some research and came up with the general guidelines for writing a good one. You can use any type of card that you have – well, almost any type. I wouldn’t send a thank you note on a sympathy or get well card. Use something that’s blank inside…..and it should be sorta small. If you have a big card or big piece of paper you’re going to have to write in really big letters to fill it up so it doesn’t look silly – and then it will still look silly because they’ll wonder why you’re writing in kindergarten script. |
| Barry and I are thank you note writers. Now, if we open a gift when the giver can see us and witness our delight – and we say THANK YOU in person (saying thank you is the key here), then we might not always send a card……..but sometimes we do anyway. We always keep some type of blank cards on hand (which I find frequently at yard sales) so we can be ready at a moment’s notice to write a note. It’s not just for gifts either. If someone does something nice for us, we’ll send a thank you note too. Saying thank you to someone can make their day, week, month or even year. AND if you send a thank you note, you’re more likely to get nice gifts – and get them more often. The giver knows you enjoyed it, so they enjoy giving you something else. However, do not set out to write thank you notes just to get more gifts. If you do, your heart is not in the right place. Here’s is a big important point – send a note even if you HATE THE GIFT. Yes, you heard me. If you did not want the orange hand-knitted sweater and matching knitted pants, that’s okay. Your Aunt Bertha enjoyed making them for you. She spent time on you, so please spend 5 minutes and tell her thank you……..or you might end up with a velvet Elvis picture next year. |
| Step One – Greet the Giver. Doesn’t that seem obvious? Most people forget that part. Start at the top and write “Dear Aunt Bertha.” It says you knew who gave you the gift. And please write this in pen. Do not use your daughter’s crayon just because it’s handy…….and don’t use colored pens either. Pink pens? Really? Who even thought that up. Oh, and heavens to Betsy, please don’t type this out on the computer! Good grief! The point is that this is a personal note……..typing it out on the computer totally defeats the purpose. |
| Step Two – Express Your Gratitude. That’s the whole point of the letter. You’re writing to say thanks. “Thank you for the lovely sweater and matching pants.” There, done. If you were given money, please don’t say “Thanks for the cash, it’s burning a hole in my pocket.” No, no, no. Instead say “Thanks for your generosity.” Never, ever, mention cash amounts. It’s not polite…….I know because I looked it up. Thank you Emily Post. If you’re saying thanks for something someone did for you, then you might say “Thanks for your kindness.” Or “Thanks for the hospitality you showed toward our family.” If in doubt, there are tons of websites that can help you find the right thing to say. When in doubt, Google it……I use Google a lot. |
| Step Three – Discuss Use. You might say “The sweater and pants are so warm! I wear them when it’s cold outside and I’m freezing my buns off.” Let the giver know how you’re using the gift. However, if you hated the gift it might take some effort to get the note right. Do not lie……..say something truthful. It might take you a minute to think of it, but you can do it. Let’s go back to that Elvis painting…..it’s tacky. You might say “Elvis looks so alive!” Or maybe “Someone spent a lot of time and effort on this painting.” There, no lie…….see, you can do it. If it was cash, you can tell how you’re going to be using it. But, once again be honest. Don’t say you’re giving it to charity if you’re using it to buy a television. And it’s okay to be nice and flowery, but don’t go overboard. “This Elvis painting is so amazing that I’m just sure the angels in heaven are singing!” No. |
| Step Four – Mention the Past, Allude to the Future. “It was great to see you! I hope we get to see each other again before next Christmas!” If you didn’t see them when you opened the gift, then you might say “Sorry we missed each other! Maybe we can get together soon.” If it’s someone that you can’t stand and they make you want to scream, you might say “Hope you are doing well and that you have a great year.” |
| Step Five – Repeat. Say it again…….”Thanks again for thinking of me!” You really can’t say thank you too many times. Okay, maybe you can. But saying it twice in one letter is not too much. |
| Step Six – Regards. End the letter. “Yours truly, Stacy.” Don’t say love if you really don’t love the person. And pay attention. Sometimes I get carried away and write “Love” before I think about it. I’m so used to writing it, that it just comes out. You don’t love your boss (usually), so if you write that it might be a little awkward come Monday morning. There! You’re done! How hard was that, unless you had to be creative on the gratitude part. |
| Now, make sure your letter doesn’t give a play by play on your life. Scratch that. It’s not about you, it’s about saying thanks. Leave it out…..send an email or a family Christmas letter. Plop that letter right in the mailbox. Don’t wait for someone else to send you a note first. If you do, you might be waiting a looooooooooooooooong time. Write one first, get the ball rolling. You might start a revolution between your friends and family. |
| Just to end on a funny point, here are two thank you notes that I found online. You should NOT send these……but you can laugh at them. 🙂
The gift was just lovely! I say, Or maybe this one? My Mom always tells me to write ****Research done at www.themorningnews.org*********** |
About Stacy
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Now I feel all guilty for not writing one back at Christmas or teaching Willow to write one for the lollipop that Annie sent since she wasn’t there in person to thank her. Uh oh. 😉 I remember writing loads of notes for our wedding. Shew!
YAY for Thank You notes! I got strange looks when I sent out Thank You notes for wedding gifts and my baby shower. People were all “nobody does that anymore!”. Well, I do it! It’s basic kindness, and we need more manners in this world anyway.
It’s also nice to send praise to people who go above and beyond in the service industry. So often bosses only hear complaints – I LOVE when someone gives me the opportunity to write their boss and tell what a great job they did.