Are Thank You Notes a Thing of the Past?

I don't get it. I am sorry, I just don't. I still write Thank You notes. I love getting them. It means a person actually took the time to sit down, think about the person you are sending it to and spend a minute or two wording it (hopefully) from the heart. How hard is that?

Yes, it is a pet peeve of mine. It is just plain rude and unacceptable in my opinion.

No, an e-mail does not cut it. Yes, you can call to say thank you - but would it hurt to send a note as well? I say nay nay. It doesn't matter if you said thank you in person when you received the gift, you still send a thank you note. 

Now I am not talking about after Christmas you sit down and send a thank you card to every one in your immediate family that got you a gift. Nor am I saying it is necessary from parent to child and vice versa for all the occasions through out the year such as a birthday, Mother's Day, etc. Here are some examples when YES, you should send thank you notes.

Birthday parties - your child has a birthday - you have 10 kids show up with gifts - yes, you send a cute thank you. If the parents were nice enough to spend an hour or two of their much needed weekend for your child's party, shop for a gift and listen to 10 squealing kids - they deserve that much, don't you think? Take the time to have your spouse,a  grandparent or whoever to write down the gifts/names for future thank you notes. What? Your 2 old can't write yet? Then  let them color a picture to add to the Thank you or scribble on each card and you sign it for them. 
How about getting a coloring book just to use for your thank you's from you child - start teaching them early. 

Showers - bridal, wedding, baby gifts  - Yes, you send one. Someone should be listing the gifts/names for your convenience. Don't wait months to do it either, it should be within a week or 2 at most.

Flowers/plants for funerals/memorial services - yes, you send one. They thought of you during your difficult time - you need to show them that you appreciate their thoughts. Cards with the givers names generally come with the plants/flowers - to make it easier for you. I would give a pass on the time here - but no more than one month.

Graduation - O>M>G yes! I can not tell you how many gift cards I have sent to graduates and never hear a word back. For every one thank you I get there are 4 that don't. You have got to be kidding me? These kids are going to start their adult life and don't even know how to give a proper thank you? Seriously? Those cards are coming to your mailbox with the persons name and address on them - no excuse! 



What prompted this, you may ask? I don't know - maybe the fact that so many people have been so kind to my family during the tornado crisis - and I know there is no way that a thank you note can be sent to every act of kindness - it would be impossible. However, I personally have been handed a large sum of money, by a few different people, as well as gifts for my granddaughters - and I will be sitting on pins and needles waiting for the thank you notes to be sent. 

I KNOW that I will be sending them one!!