There is nothing more personal in this techie click-it world than giving a handwritten note. Just the thought that someone thought enough of you to find a pen, write a note, seal it, stamp it and mail it... that's kindness!
This line of personalized stationery was started as teacher gifts. The responses were terrific, and now we offer them to the public. Perfect for teachers, brides-to-be, graduates, anyone who will be writing Thank You notes!
Also available as custom notepads! Cute little addition to a gift basket or presentation of a Gift Card. Personalized, useful. Choose design on the notecard page. Pad of 50 sheets $12
Order on the notecard page.
“One of my favorite gifts to give and get is stationery.”
“Experts say not to underestimate the power of a “thank you.” It’s making the effort. People really appreciate getting mail that’s not a bill, for one thing, and just taking that extra bit of time to write a thank you note really means everything.”
The Lost Art of the Thank-You Note
By Lori McLaughlin
I genuinely love gift-giving. The whole experience is appealing to me: the time spent considering the recipient’s individual needs, the browsing of store aisles, the selection of coordinating wrapping paper and bows and bags, the writing of a meaningful card to go along with the gift. But this year? Nary a thank-you note in the mailbox.
I know the value of every dollar in every check I write, too. When you work on an hourly basis, time really does equal money. It’s hard not to keep score.
So, to keep from feeling sorry for myself and perhaps to justify my feelings of being ignored, I turned to the arbiters of social graces. A survey of various etiquette websites opened a virtual Pandora’s box of bad behavior. According to Leah Ingram, a certified etiquette and protocol consultant, thank you notes (or the lack thereof) are the number one hot-button topic among readers.
I felt in good company, especially after a survey of friends supported my belief that writing thank-you notes is a dying art. We’re of the generation where every gift we got as kids was acknowledged with a handwritten note. Mom made us sit down and write one soon after the unwrapping. Today, all grown up and on the giving side of the equation, we expect the same treatment.
You can blame it on electronically-wired lives, shortened attention spans, and texts and tweets that pass for meaningful conversation, but when did America become so, well, ungrateful? Some of my pals don’t even expect thank-you notes anymore. And that’s a shame.
Consider this a teaching moment to the younger generation. It takes less time to write a letter with “Thank you for the birthday check” than it does to cash the check at a bank. Just sit down and do it, but don’t do it grudgingly. The few minutes with pen in hand may seem like an obligation but this small investment of time brings with it the potential of huge payoffs.
First and foremost, you’re going to make dear Auntie Emily’s day when she opens the mailbox and finds a handwritten envelope among the bills. She took the time to think of you, buy a present and give it to you, so the least you can do is be grateful. My 85-year-old Aunt Jean recently sent me a thank-you note I wrote her when I was six. The penmanship was horrible but it was meaningful enough for her to keep around for over 40years.
I must emphasize the handwritten element. It sounds old-fashioned but it makes a better impression than a hasty email. People save handwritten notes for decades; the same cannot be said for emails.
Graduations or weddings where gifts tend to be substantial are must-write events, but any occasion big enough to warrant a gift is big enough to warrant a thank-you. People have actually thanked me for writing them a thank-you note for wedding gifts. Crazy.
So cheers to you, gentle reader. Moving forward I will give everyone a chance to do better, and be better. I will be “firm, friendly, and unashamed,” as Ask Amy says. Thank you for your time and, above all, remember to be nice. You don’t want your check to get lost in the mail.
SOURCES:
Oprah:
oprah.com/oprahshow/Thank-You-Note-Etiquette
Miss Manners:
lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=26418964