Ms. Mad About Manners: The Art of the Thank-You Note

Dear Ms. Mad About Manners, Do I have to send a hand written thank-you note or will an email suffice? Sincerely,  Ms. Polished and Polite

Dear Ms. Polished and Polite,

Let's think about this from the gift giver's perspective. Did they have to spend time picking out a personal gift for you? Did they have to spend their money on on you? Did they have to pick out something they thought you, personally, would like to receive? No, they didn't have to do any of that; but, they did. The gift giver made it personal and should you too, with a hand written thank-you note. Emails are lazy and you are not lazy; you are polished and polite.

A hand-written note shows the gift giver a heightened level of appreciation.  

First, pick out stationary and a blue or black pen (these colors are easy on the reader's eye). Children just learning to write can use a crayon or marker for better control or a pencil so they can fix mistakes. Next, thank the gift-giver being sure to reference the name of gift. Tell the gift-giver why you appreciate the gift. If your child does not yet know how to write, have him draw colorful pictures to show his thankfulness. At the end of your note, always sign your first and last name.  

All in all, a thank-you note need only be a few sentences. A few hand-written sentences may not seem very long, but it will go a long way in telling the gift-giver that you appreciate the time and effort she spent think about you.  

How soon should you send a thank you? Within a week of receiving a gift. 

Is a thank-you note better late than never? A thank-you note is better, never late.

You can never have too much stationary so stock up the next time you are shopping.  Keeping a stock of stationary, cards, pen, stamps, and addresses in an accessible location will make note writing seem like less of a chore for you and your children.

Sending thank you notes is also appropriate if someone does something nice for you.

After a job interview, you must send a hand written thank-you note to each individual with whom you interviewed. This is professional, polished, and polite.

Best Regards,

Ms. Mad About Manners