"here is our list. " The Diva and I sit down together to write our Thank You notes. One by one we make our way through the list sending each a note of appreciation.
For me, this is a time honored tradition. When a gift is received, a thank you note is written, by hand. Often it was (and is) the only time I will write a letter during the year.
For the Diva (as it once was for me) it is a pain - something that I require her to do though she doesn't fully understand why. her Thank You notes, therefore, are not truly a "note" but more of a sentence with a picture.
Mine, on the other hand, are an attempt to send something... anything... that says "Thanks" not only for the gift, but for the thought.
People seem to be busier and busier than ever... and yet, so often they still have the time (or have taken the time) to shop and wrap, then send a present... it is all that thought for which I am most grateful - the present is secondary. After all that they have put into the gift, the least I can do is take a few minutes to write a note.
I wonder though if Thank You notes are a thing of the past?
In my family, they are ever present... well, not really I guess. My brother's family is odd about Thank You notes. My sister-in-law will write a few, but the boys and my brother do not. My Kiwi cousins just don't send Thank You notes and never have (which drove my grandparents and mom crazy).
I suppose then, that even in my family, writing Thank You notes is the exception and not the rule.
7 comments:
My mother has always been and still is a Thank you Note Nazi.
Carrying on that fine tradition, I address envelopes and stamp them. Then give them to my sons with blank thank you notes.
I tell them they have one week to return them to me so I can mail them.
The only problem is that I'm still doing this for my 23 year old son because I'm afraid if I don't, he'd never send a thank you.
Sigh
Oh. My. Gosh. This just reminded me to do Thank You's. I suck.
Thank you notes are important and the least we can do when someone takes the time to think of us. Periodically through the year I make up a new one in one of the home publishing software programs and use that for different things that friends and family do for me. The twinkies are just getting used to signing and writing very short thank you notes.
Good for you and The Diva in continuing the hand written note. I read Presidential biographies and letters to and from Presidents and it definitely seems that there is not a lot of letter writing going on anymore and will probably only continue to dwindle.
About the only time I actually write anything - handwritten stuff that is -would be Christmas cards and then, after about the fifth card, my hand is cramping up big-time. I'd say 99 and 44/100ths of any "writing" I do is on the computer, usually e-mails. I used to write letters, send cards for various occasions, etc., but my handwriting has deteriorated from semi-bad to atrocious now. So anyone offended by thanks you stuff from me that comes via an e-mail is just gonna have to get used to it I suppose.
Great tradition, too often today people don't show simple appreciation for other people's thoughts or actions. I imagine the Diva will one day be making her lil'Diva do the same.
T-Shirt - That is a great idea... I hope that I am not still reminding her to do it when she is 23!
JR - I still have a few sitting on my desk waiting for my attention as well. I guess the idea is to write them more than it is about a specific time.
MC - I love reading old correspondence. Writing notes and such is truly a lost art - I wish I would have kept more of the letters I received as they would probably mean a lot in a few decades.
Jeni - It is the thought that counts!! I hand write mine but... I don't send Christmas cards and write everything else via e-mail... it is just an old habit I guess. The thought is everything though not the form of the note.
Seven Seas - A little Diva... now that is a scary thought! ;) I just hope that she keeps it up and remembers to show her appreciation as she has such a sincere love for all that she receives.
I haven't forgotten, just havent made time. I think this Sat morning would make a great opportunity.
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