Heart-felt Thank You Notes: Are they a Lost Art?
I’ve realized that this last few weeks our family has really been blessed. I have to admit, I have not had to do a lot of cooking because we’ve been asked out on several occasions. And the part I love is that for most events, our family of 5 was invited. Our family unit is changing here in a week as our son goes off to college, so I think our friends have had that life change in mind.
As I sat down today to write out my thank you notes, I decided to make a post out of it, because I feel that written notes are often a lost art now. It’s a part of hospitality that gets swallowed up in text messaging, emails, and phone calls. Not that recipients are not grateful, it’s just a loss of personableness.
So with great intentions and heartfelt thanks, I set out to write 6 great thank you notes and wanted to share my tips:
Start with the date and salutation
Send your note within two weeks of receiving the gift/invitation.Say thanks right away
Be specific about why you are writing the note. If you’re thanking someone for a monetary gift, refer to their generosity, and you don’t have to mention the amount.Compliment the kind gesture
Don’t be afraid to be really generous with your words. Everyone loves a compliment, and make it heartfelt.Think about the future
Anticipate another get-together, or if you’re writing about a gift, be sure to tell them how you plan to use it.Finish with sincerity
Reiterate your gratitude, then close your words on an intimate note, signing your name(s).Read it through one more time and pop it in the mailbox!
Okay, now a time for honesty.
Do you write handwritten thank you notes?
I have a stack I need to write and send this week. I enjoy writing them and I enjoy receiving them. True Confessions…I don’t appreciate it when a hostess of a bridal shower says “and our gift to the Bride is that we are letting her off the hook and she doesn’t have to write thank you cards to you ladies”. Writing a thank you is a great art to develop and it is meaningful form of communication that encourages. This is just my opinion and I know it’s not shared by all but I’m throwing it out there :0)
Knowing how much I love to receive letters and thank yous in the mail, I will not let myself give up this beautiful communication. And I am trying to pass this along to my daughters as well. They have written many a thank you in their young lives! After we have been invited over to share a meal, any meal, I always try to get a note out to the mailbox within a couple days – and the whole family signs it, not just me. It’s an act that could be easily pushed to the bottom of the list, or even forgotten about, but I really try to keep it up. It’s a tangible way to teach our kids and to remind ourselves about always being grateful.
I love hand-written notes, letters, etc. but, sadly…I don’t use them as much as I should. I collected stationary for a long time, collected is the key word. My aunt go me hooked when I was young. Time to dig out my cute stationary and get writing. Awesome post, Thanks!
yes, I do…I have a specific day to do so. I enjoy writing thank you notes or notes for people I am praying for on Mondays while laundry {which I despise! :) } is going. I know how much I love receiving letters in the mail! We have taught our children to do the same…for the most part, no electronic thank yous!
i absolutely do! it may be a lost art, but more than that, happy mail is such a rare thing. it’s not just the note of thanks, but getting something other than “bills and junk” that makes me happy. so i like to pass that on. also, i just love stocking up or making new cards to use, i usually have a stack or two in my drawer… the best way to get new lovely stationery is to use up the old stuff ;)
I miss snail mail – and I’m ashamed to say that I don’t do this often enough. As a writer {in my former life} you’d think I’d take more time to say thank you, and thinking of you – – etc. Thank you for the reminder. I think I’m going to pick up a stack of cards today and start using my handwriting. :) Blessings!
When I was a little girl, and polaroid instant cameras were brand new, my mother would line me and my sisters up for a photo session after Christmas, or after our birthdays. She would display a few of our presents, ask us to dress in one of the many outfits (new sweater, etc.) we received, and snap a picture. We then were instructed to write a personal thank you note to the relative or friend who gave us the gift. She would enclose the picture, along with our thank you’s and mail off to the generous gift giver. This was always a tradition that brough many smiles.
Thanks for posting this. It brought back the memory of my mother and those special days of long ago.
Thank you for the reminder! I have a couple I need to mail TODAY.
I don’t write them as often as I should–what a shame.
Thanks for the tips. I will be sending them along to my daughter who struggles with “what to write?”
Blessings!
Yes! I always try my hardest to write a little thank you note after someone does something nice. I’m planning on training my kids to do the same. My mom trained me & my siblings by not letting us play w/ our b-day or Christmas gifts until we wrote thank-you notes! Ha! I guess it worked b/c my sis and I are both note writers ;) But my little bro….not so much.
Loved this post!
Yes! I always handwrite thank you cards or notes and have made sure my daughter has been involved in making her own tahnk you cards too since she could first draw scribbles. A little appreciation goes a long way.
I always handwrite a thank you note. I figure if someone goes through the effort and expense to give me a gift, the least I can do is take 5 minutes to write a thank you note and drop it in the mail. So you can imagine that it annoys me to no end that I know a few people who are actually proud of the fact they “don’t have time” to write them. Really, who doesn’t have a couple minutes to say thank you? But I guess if they are that busy, perhaps the rest of us should not burden them with any additional gifts or favors of time.
My kids began “writing” them when they are old enough to speak…I would write exactly what they told me about a gift. Your tutorial is perfect! I also have begun to write a quick note to a different frind every day. Just a few words wishing them a good day and sending it in the mail…so much nicer than a mailbox full of bills.
Oh yes, I do agree, and I found your post to very timely as I have just sent one out this past week. Because the person that did me a favor did so w/o any hesitation, I sent along a local restaurant gift card also, hoping that will let them know how much I really did appreciate their help.
I do write thank you notes! I think it’s a common courtesy to let the gift giver know how much you appreciate their thoughtfulness. It doesn’t take that long to do, and I feel good because I’ve let the person know I care. I’ll be honest–I do get annoyed with those “fill in the blank” thank you cards that they sell. “Dear ___, Thank you for the ____. I loved it.” Really?! You couldn’t take 2 extra minutes to just write something out??! :s
We were just talking about this yesterday. My mother wants to get us a wedding a gift but we really don’t need anything as we’re merging 2 households. But i DO want engraved thank you notes to have on hand – for occasions such as dinner invites, unexpected acts of kindness, etc. I have had a similar post brewing in my mind for a long time – glad you got yours out.
Yes, in fact, I have to write several notes of thanks for a birthday get-together that we had not long ago! I agree that it becoming a lost art, and who doesn’t love getting something nice in the mail?!
I do hand write thank you notes. I love adding that personal touch and everyone still likes to get snail mail every now and again. It really shows you took the time to care.
HUGS!
Very well said! I agree… it is a lost art. But we can revive it. A few weeks ago I also wrote a post on writting thank you notes. Actually it came about because I was behind in writing mine.
I remember reading about Princess Diana, no matter how late she came home from an affair she would sit down and write a thank you note. Great advice!
Thank you for sharing this important gracenote to life!
Yvonne
Yes and no! Not enough… thank you for your gracious reminder to do so. I love getting a handwritten note(s) in the mail. Personal, friend-to-friend, Snail Mail in and of itself is a lost art. And it is something I want/need to pick back up on.
I loved this post. Thank you!
I do write thank you notes. I frequently send postcards and letters too. Sometimes I think I’m the only one on the planet who still uses USPS for personal mail on a regular basis. I enjoy the process, picking out the card or the right paper, choosing the pen, finding the words.
Darla
Yes, I write thank you notes! I actually recently wrote a post about them as well. They are lost art in this culture it seems, but I love sending them and receiving them!
Yes, I write them and am teaching my kids to write them. I am not always as timely with them as I’d like to be, but they get done. A late thank you is better than none at all :)
Absolutely! And my children do as well from the time they can scribble a picture and dictate a message! Saying “thank you” in its most simplest form is not rocket science and I wish more people would take the time to do so.
I almost never write thank you notes – I’m ashamed to say. I do remember to say thank you at the time or call afterwards but I don’t remember the last time I wrote a thank you card. We never really did them growing up either so it’s not something I’m in the habbit of doing.
I do however write letters and cards, just because. To show a friend I’m thinking about her or to let them know some news. It is so much nicer to get a handwritten card than an email or text. I posted 3 letters this week because I had a bit of spare time.
As part of my list of 30 things to do before I’m 30, I have ‘Hand write letters to 30 people” – maybe some of them will be thank you notes, I’ll try to bare it in mind next time.
Have a lovely day,
Jade
YES! I like to write handwritten notes. Since they take a few more moments than a quick email, I think they are special. Kindness deserves a handwritten thanks!