Happy Christmas (and Hanukah) Eve Eve y'all! As Christmas is literally right around the corner, I thought that I will share with you a post I have been thinking about for a while: the art of the Thank You Note. The holidays are the time to show your friends and family how much you love and appreciate them. While this can be shown through the act of giving a gift, on the other hand, another way to show your appreciation and respect is through the thank you card/note. While my mum does not send thank you notes herself, growing up she always taught me to thank others for their kindness and generosity. This has stuck with me as I've gotten older.
I have always been a sucker for maintaining traditions and upholding manners, especially as they change and adjust to the new society. The world is changing rapidly. As new technologies develop, so does modern day etiquette. This means that the situations in which you can send a thank you note has changed. Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about how you can thank family, friends, co-workers, travel agents etc. that may not look the same as back in the day, but still feels proper and appropriate.
- Not every thank you note needs to be handwritten and sent in the mail. However some should be.
It is no secret that writing letters to others is a dying trend. Nowadays, it seems that the only things you receive in the mail are online shopping orders. For some people, not even your bills are posted to you anymore. With stamps now costing $1 each, if you host a party and want to thank your guests for attending, this can become quite costly, and sending an electronic thank you message will work instead. However, there are some instances where you should fork out money for a stamp. If it is a one-off note, or to family members, then a handwritten note in the mail is the best way to go. This is especially true for Grandparents, who may not be the most tech-savvy people in your life. Sending them a letter in the mail from their grandchildren will be something they would really appreciate.
- In some instances, sending a message on Facebook or through e-mail works just as well!
This is something that I feel is one of the new additions to 'thank you note sending etiquette,' and I think will work well for Christmas. If you have a large number of people to thank for gifts, or attendance etc., then sending a simple text message, an inbox on Facebook or even an e-mail can get the point across and still make the person feel appreciated. As long as the message is right and the sentiment is shared, then you are fine!
- Don't over-thank people.
While it is nice to thank people, try not to OVER-thank them! I learnt this after my birthday when I was thanking people all over the place. If you thank people in person at the time, then you should send a thank you message at least two days, but no more than a week, afterwards. However, if you see the person again soon after the event and thank them in person a second time, there is no need to send a thank you note. I think you would have gotten your point across.
- Keep it simple
One thing that has not changed about the thank you note is that it should be short and sweet. Your message does not need to be a long letter expressing your gratitude. Rather, a couple of lines saying thank-you, and providing a short, personalised anecdote should do the trick!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Or, if you don't celebrate, a very happy long weekend. I hope that it is filled with love, joy, and amazing food.
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