Community Chat

[muttmom]

I've pretty much given up expecting hand written thank you notes.  As others have said It's nice to know the gift was at least received.

I sent a wedding card and check out of state in February.  Never heard a word, even from the mother who I see from time to time.  I kept checking our checking account to see if the check was cashed.  It was finally cashed the last week in August.  It took this ding-a-ling bride over 6 months to cash a substantial check.

[Sunnyfield]

I have to "brag" a bit about two notes I received recently.

Sadly my husband passed away rather suddenly and while going through his things, I found a rosary that I sent to his nephew.  The nephew (now in his 40's) was not particularly close to my  husband  now, but had been very close when he was growing up.  I received a beautiful thank you note and card from him.  In the note, he told me a story of something my husband had done for him when he (the newphew) was a teenager and how he had never forgotten it.  Really touched my heart.

The other note was a card from my son's relatively new (less than a year) girlfriend.  They had planned to visit us and unfortunately the visit wound up being for the furneral of my husband...a difficult time for all, but most especially for this young (late 20's) woman who had never met any of us before.  She sent the most beautiful ard and note, thanking me for being gracious and welcoming to her during difficult time.  Then she thanked me and my late husband for our son whom she called "a gift in her life every day"....

I was beyond surprised and touched by these two notes and just had to share and say that the art of the thank you note is not totally dead! 

[DKNJ]

Just a little tale on thank you notes.

When my brother got married, not only did most of our family members give generous monetary gifts, there were also expenses for travel and accommodations, as the affair was held in the bride's home state (approx a 2 1/2 hour ride, so most stayed overnight).

My sister-in-law decided that she would send thank you notes to her family and friends, while she expected my brother to do likewise for his.  Wait a second, I believe the gifts were addressed to Mr & Mrs.  Needless to say, twelve years later and still not a thank you from them.

[Bird mama]

When my youngest niece got married, it took nearly a year to get a thank you note. I forgot about the wedding and then a note arrived. She had a small wedding, lol.

[DKNJ]

To "birdmama":  Apparently, wedding etiquette allows for one year post event for Thank You's, but really, who would need 365 days to accomplish that task.?

[KarenQVC]

This is my suggestion to these folks.  Don't invite people to an event if you don't wish to write Thank Yous to those who give gifts.  Problem solved. (Smile)

[beach-mom]

When my daughter was around 6 or 7 we were going through the birthday party phase. First, if she had a party, then everyone in her class, Sunday school class, Brownie troop, and dance class was invited. Of course I knew not everyone would come, but I was always one who tried to include everyone - at least when they were that age! After the party was over, I made sure she wrote at least one line to thank that child for the specific gift, and one line to thank them for coming. And she did.

We went to another classmate's party once. Again the whole class was invited. When the party was over, the mom stood by the door with the "party favor bags." When DD got to the car and opened her bag she found an envelope. She opened it and it was a generic, but handwritten, thank you card saying "Thank you for coming to my party and thank you for the awesome gift." Never saw anything like that before or since! 

[Bird mama]

DKNJ, she allegedly developed trigger finger and couldn't write. (Rolling my eyes)

[joannecha]

Most of the time, I do not get any kind of a thank you note for a gift (that includes wedding gifts and shower gifts), so if I were to receive a pre-printed one that was just signed by the giftee, I would be happy. Recently, we received a very cool hand-printed thank you card from my 13-year old great niece (I say printed, as they don't teach cursive anymore). Her Mom & Dad do a great job on teaching her good manners, but I was very happy to get her card in the mail. 

[Karnerblue]

In the case where they are being sent for a shower or wedding, I can see the pre-printed notes but they should always be signed.  I generally send a small thank-you card but also write my own message.  I am a big fan of cards.  I can spend a long time reading them before I find the right one --- that's usally the one that makes me cry.