I love to get mail. There’s something so special about a handwritten note surprising me in our mailbox. But there’s a piece of mail that should not be sent or received as a surprise…that would be the thank you card.
If you have ever received any form of gift, kindness, or special action from ANYONE, you should have sent them a thank you card.
Call me old-fashioned, I’ll be the first one to say it, but there is nothing old-fashioned about showing gratitude. There are a few simple guidelines I have to help guide us all through this process.
- If someone gave you a gift, walked your dog, bought your coffee, brought you flowers, watered your lawn, helped you at work, had you over for dinner, pulled your donkey out of a ditch, or any other sort of kind gesture, you should send them a handwritten thank you note.
- NO….a text message or email is not enough. Why? because it shows not thought or effort.
- Send the note in a timely fashion. Typically within one week of when you received your gift or kind action.
- There are exceptions:
- Many people have ideas about how soon wedding thank you cards should be sent, but I think 6 months is the time limit you have to thank people for wedding presents. Most people understand that the months immediately following your wedding are busy and full of change.
- Baby gifts: after your family and friends celebrate your new little addition send them thank you notes within 3 months.
Have thoughts, funny stories, or other ideas? Share them with me in the comments!
