If you spend time with my 93-year-old great grandmother, a conversation about the lack of mailed letters is bound to come up eventually. “No one writes letters these days,” she’ll say. While it’s not false, there are so many other, more convenient ways to communicate with our family and friends.
It was instilled in me at a young age that you must always write a proper thank you note after receiving a gift regardless if it was a birthday, communion, wedding, anniversary, etc. It should always be hand-written and from the heart. Acknowledge the person’s gift, how you’ll use it, share your gratefulness for attending the event (or not) and close with a heartfelt goodbye. It doesn’t have to be long but it should show the recipient that you truly appreciated their gesture, whether you loved the gift and will use it everyday, or you’re already planning to re-gift it. It should also be sent in a timely manner… not six months after the fact.
It’s simply rude not to send a thank you. But in today’s world where technology is king, is a thank you text sufficient? What about an email?
Think about how you feel when you get that note in the mail. It brings a smile to your face and you can’t help but think about the memory you created with that person on their special day. I, personally, feel like a simple 3-5 sentence note is the least you can do for someone that goes out of their way to try and bring a smile to your face. We need to raise gracious children that acknowledge kind behavior and teach them that they shouldn’t expect gifts or any occasion.
Even if your child is too young to spell or write, a great start is by having them color a picture on the note that you write for them. From there, perhaps, the next step is to have them sign their name and then, eventually, write it for themselves. I believe that kids today are too often raised in an entitled society and one simple way to stop the trend is by having them express gratitude when it is deserved.
Aubrey, Your Mother always taught you and Chad to write thank you notes. As I remember, you couldn’t cash the check until the thank you note was written. As your Grandmother, I always appreciated that. There were some checks that I didn’t know had been received until I got the statement back that they had been cashed. Was so glad you and Chad were taught good manners. Luv u, Gr.Bopp