Thank-You Notes

It's been almost 3 weeks since my Baby Shower and I am so happy to report that I have sent out ALL of my thank-you notes! It was my goal to get them mailed exactly one week after the shower and most of them were... there were a few other gifts that came later so that second round of notes is going out today. One thing I have found interesting though has been people's response to receiving my card. My friends and family have been pleasantly surprised to receive my note in the mail and have even called or emailed to say 'Thank you for the thank you note"! One person even said "you actually thanked us for the gift specifically, it was so personal". This got me to thinking... have people really stopped sending thank-you notes all together?

I remember in elementary school, teachers having us write thank-you notes after a class holiday party or something like that. My mom never really made me write out a note but she did teach me the importance of saying THANK YOU whenever I received a gift. As I got older, it was just something that came natural to send a little note. After birthdays or special events I loved putting pen to paper and thanking someone for making me feel so loved. I don't send thank-you notes out after Christmas but I do send a Christmas card out every year. It's just something about connecting with people and sending them actual mail (not email) that is really fun for me.

Sure, it takes time! I had about 60 notes to write out by hand, then address each envelope after Baby Picon's shower. But it was fun to sit down and re-live each moment and remember each gift we received for our baby. I used a list my friend made for me and the stack of cards we received to reference while writing out the notes. When someone gives you a gift, they are using up their resources and time for you! It is so important to express gratitude for such a gesture.

When thinking about this today, I remembered that my friend wrote a blog post several months ago about this very same thing. You can read it here. She offers some tips on cool stationary you can buy to make the perfect thank-you note. In the meantime, here are a couple of "April Rules" of thumb to remember:

*Always hand-write your note. Printing labels for the envelopes is OK especially if you are sending a lot but make sure the inside of the card is handwritten with your message.

*Select the appropriate salutation. "Dear Aunt Helen"

*Start out by thanking the person for the gift they sent. Ie: "Thank you very much for the book"

*Continue by mentioning your favorite part of the gift or how you plan to use it. "I am such a huge fan of the author and can't wait to read it!"

*Finish off by offering an opportunity to reconnect . "We should get together for dinner soon".

*Then choose the appropriate closing. "Love your niece, April"

Remember ---- Simple, short and sweet is better than no Thank You at all ! The sooner you send out the note, the better since it is still fresh in your mind and you will express yourself more sincerely. Ohh one more thing, what occasions require a thank-you note? It's really up to you! I like to send them out after special occasions (my wedding, baby shower) but I also send them out every year after my birthday for any gifts I received. Really, it's up to you! Some say that 3 notes a year is probably best... anything more than that can seem "creepy" but YOU know your loved ones, so you be the judge! =)

XO,