Now that my birthday is over, I have a few thank you notes to write and I am contemplating how to get them done. I grew up super old school, where a written thank you note was to be sent within 2 days of receiving any gift. I tried to teach my children the same, and I know Tabitha mastered this skill, but Trinity, not so much.
I used to pride myself on having custom stationary for everyone in the family, but those days disappeared when the recession arrived. Now, that I have no extra time and my writing is illegible, I started typing my notes a few years back. I bought some cute card stock in different bright colors and just wrote my notes in WordPerfect, printed them out and popped them in the mail. Last year, I didn’t even bother with the card stock, I either called the person, sent them a text or emailed them. I know that my manners have really gone in the toilet the past 5 years and sometimes I feel kinda bad that I never take the time to hand write anything, but is it so bad? I am not so sure anymore.
In midst of writing this post, I decided to call my aunt and thank her for the birthday check. Funny enough, I think she would rather talk to me and hear my thank you, than receive some boring thank you note. I was right, she was very happy I called and actually had a question she needed to ask me. See, so much better than writing her a note. Maybe not as proper, but more fun.
As for Louie’s aunt, she used to make fun of me and my old school thank you notes, so I always text her the minute I receive her gift. She is a worrier, so she always like to know when the gift arrives, so the texting system works perfect for us.
As for my parents, Lou’s Mom and my sister, I am a total loser and have told them to no longer expect any thank you notes from me. When they give me the gift, I look them in the eye and say “thank you.” Good enough, they know how crazy my life is.
So that leaves my friends and their extravagant gifts. I can’t afford to buy gifts for all my friend’s birthdays and I always ask them to not buy me anything, but of course a few of them never listen and always buy me way too much. Ohh look, I was just opening the mail, while I was writing this and received a $50 gift card to TJ Maxx from one of my best friends. Even though some of my friends insist on giving me gifts they have all learned to only buy me things I need, will wear, or will use often. So I received a gift certificate to my massage therapist, my favorite eye cream in the whole world(Kiehl’s Avocado), a cute shirt, a reusable water bottle, and some Starbucks cards. How great is that? LOVE MY FRIENDS!
Ok, enough bragging about my fabulous friends, I just decided as soon as I finish this I am going to email them each a thank you note. It is 5:00pm, I need to make dinner and go to Back to School Night, so I need to get my butt in gear. Good-bye until Monday.
Have a fabulous weekend!!!!
Here are a few of the funny cards I received, wanted to share….
I write handwritten notes 🙂
Hate to say I am old school and hand write the thank you cards still even make my kids do it. I do have one aunt that I have to call because she is the same worries that it doesn’t make it to us.
Have a great day.
Personally I would hand write!
Ok, Ok, everyone has said the same thing. I went to Target, bought the cards and already sent them out. Now I can unload that huge pile of guilt that was on my back… yeah!!! Thanks for telling me the truth everyone!
you are so cute and those cards were hysterical that you received, and yes, old school and hand write but you got that message. It’s our age and generation, even if we make our kids do it I think the cards to write on will disappear one of these days with all the technology and ways we have to communicate in our “instant” world.
thanks for the laughs! and you have great friends, great gifts!
I feel so horrible now 🙁 I have never really wrote thank you notes except for my baby showers and my wedding. And I have not taught my children to do so either. We are not totally unsophisticated we always and I mean always say thank you. I like to call and email thank yous. I have never been told it is rude. But I wonder if any one would actually tell me?
Don’t feel horrible, just turn over a new leaf. All of my friends and family have always sent thank you notes, I was just trying to get out of it because after 40 years of writing notes, I am over it. Just think of it as trying something new, that you never knew about before. My husband’s Mom, was never taught either, but she does it now…. Happy Day!
I’ve found that writing thank you notes is a lot bigger chore in my head than in reality. Once I sit down to write them, they go pretty quickly and after writing a few, my handwriting seems to improve. It’s usually just a matter of me getting up the ambition to do it, lol!
You are so right, once you get going it isn’t as bad as you think….
You are so lucky to have such thoughtful and caring friends & family! So, it’s nice you decided to take the time to scribble out a note and send it to the gift giver. Clearly, you have the gift of humor and great writing skills. It will brighten their day. If your aunt is anything like me, she’ll look fondly at the card again and again. When my mother-in-law died, I was touched to see all the thank you notes my family had sent through the years. She was not a sentimental person by nature, but the cards must have meant something to her. I sent 18 gift cards and savings bonds to nieces and nephews at Christmas. Only heard back from a few.
It is common courtesy to take time for someone who has taken time for you. WRITE THEM they deserve that much.
Take time for those who took time for YOU. JUST PLAIN THOUGHTFUL be thoughtful in return.
I just received a thank you by text, and almost choked. The fact that people took time out to attend your party means you should return the favor. Yes, it is a chore, but as a recipient, knowing how much it took to get that letter out shows how far you’d go to express your gratitude.