Apr 06 2009
What Happened to Thank You?
This really bothers me. I am a busy mom of two boys and I still find time to not only write thank you notes, but my oldest (2 years old) often creates his own thank you notes to send out. So, why is it that we never receive any thank you notes from anyone else? We have attended weddings and given nice and expensive gifts, but we never received a thank you. We have attended both bridal and baby showers and again given nice and expensive gifts, but never received a thank you. Honestly, I have to say that because of this I have quit wasting my money and my time and have chosen not to participate in some of these events. Mostly those in which I don’t really know the person very well and don’t see them very often. But why should I spend my time picking out a gift, my money buying a gift, and my time attending an event when the people are so inappreciative that they can’t even send a simple “Thanks” my way?
It sometimes makes me wonder, like at a wedding where they don’t open gifts until later, if they even received the gift. I mean if you received a nice luggage set for your wedding would you forget to send a thank you? Or if you received a DVD player would you not send a thank you? Or how about a baby bath tub complete with toys? These are just a few examples of gifts we have given, but never heard one little thank you from the recipients of these gifts. Strange, though, how I make sure that my toddler colors a picture and I find time to write a thank you for something as small as a tub of playdough or some matchbox cars.
The saying goes, “It’s the thought that counts”, well that can go the other way, too. It’s the thought that the person took to make sure that you know that they appreciated the gift and your attendance at an event.
While I’m talking about thank you notes, here are some ideas for helping your children create their own thank you notes:
* Have your child paint on one side of a piece of paper, fold paper in half and their art becomes the outside of the card. Then, you (if your child is too young) can write a little note inside and have your child “sign” his name to it.
* My son’s 2nd birthday had a zoo theme, so I had him color & paint various zoo pictures. I cut them out and glued them onto construction paper and then I wrote the note on the back of the picture.
* Stickers make good decorations for cards.
* Take a picture of your child with the gift and simply write “Thanks” on the note.
* Or buy a package of thank you cards at the store and write the note.
It really isn’t that hard and it really is not that time consuming. The lack of appreciation in our society is getting a little ridiculous. Come on people, isn’t it worth it to lift someone’s spirits a little with a simple “thank you”?
i love each and every thank you i get from my boys , i am saving every thing they give me in scrap books, when they are grown , they will get them them back as a memento from me. love , hugs and kisses grand ma jo.
Amen! How hard is it? One time after one child’s party I didn’t get thank you cards written with the kids, and I still feel bad about that instance. And…it’s never happened again. So why don’t other people feel bad about not showing their gratitude? Who knows.
I guess it’s hard for people to feel bad when it isn’t something that they hold as highly important. I admit that I did not get them done after Christmas this year, but I believe this has been the only time we didn’t do any. My reason for this is that my son made Christmas unusually crazy and had people opening gifts right & left and I honestly couldn’t keep track of what was his and what was the baby’s and who gave what - it was a mad house! I did make sure that he gave a thank you hug and high five before everyone left, though.
When my daughters were born I made sure I sent a thank you for each and every gift I received so it really bothers me when new moms say they’re “too busy” to send thank yous. I always write thank yous for my daughters and have them “sign” their names. I want them to know it’s important to acknowledge the effort someone made to give them a gift. When I’ve sent wedding gifts that go unacknowledged, I wait about 3 months and then ask the person point blank if they received the gift. I don’t do it to embarrass them, but to make sure they actually received the gift.
Yes, I hear you! I’m a working mom with two little boys - and yet, I too, still manage to write a few kind words and mail them off - and my son loves to slap on some stickers and draw a personalized drawing. We’ve also done a variation of the photo thank you - my son holds up a piece of paper that says “Thank you” and I take a pic of him. If I’m really into it, I’ll have him wear or stand by the gift that the person got him - so they can see that he likes it and uses it.
I totally agree! I’m a huge “thank you” note writer. I was taught young, and it stuck with me. A couple of my husband’s cousins were married last year. I had never met either of them. We sent a gift to be polite, and they didn’t send thank you notes!
My brothers are pretty bad about sending thank yous for gifts I give their kids. Sometimes I’ll get an email, but never a real card. I know it’s not the kids’ fault, so I still give them gifts.
What I don’t appreciate is the form thank you card. You know, the one that is printed out and not personalized at all. Again, it’s not the kids’ fault.
I agree, I think people just don’t say thank you anymore like they used to (or RSVP, but don’t get me started!!
I believe in always taking the time to send out thank you’s because it’s the right thing to do!!!
I came by to thank you for reading and commenting on my blog so this is a timely post.
Here in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains it’s still considered Southern-proper to send hand-written thank you notes as well as get-well cards when someone is feeling poorly or in the hospital. Good article. Great suggestions.
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Thanks for this great suggestions. Nice post.
I am so glad to read all these comments! I was kind of thinking that I was being way too old school about the thank you’s. It’s relieving to know that I am not being out of touch with society or acting ridiculously over something which seems so small as thank you notes. Now, I must get to work in coming up with a cute idea for Easter thank you’s!
This post is a reminder for everybody. Simple word “thank you”, “Im sorry” and other courtesy words means a lot.
* Take a picture of your child with the gift and simply write “Thanks” on the note.
I love that idea.