Christmas 2011 is done. The last tasks of Christmas are the first of 2012: take down and pack away decorations – I miss the twinkly fairy lights already. Write thank you cards for the many gifts that have been unwrapped and enjoyed over the last few weeks.
Thank you notes have been drummed into me literally from birth – I know my mum sent them on my behalf until I was old enough to write my name and then the notes myself. I send many more gifts to children than I receive thank you notes for, the thank you’s I do receive I am delighted by. Writing them is a tradition I’m passing on to my children. In my book it’s courteous to thank those who’ve sent you gifts, especially if you haven’t seen the giver to thank them in person.
I struggled this year to stay on top of what was from who this year as the wrapping paper flew I have to be honest! This year I have used a great photo of Lil H and Diva G meeting Father Christmas to make postcards to say thank you to family and friends. Am I alone in my love of the traditional thank you note? Is snail mail out of date in 2012? What do you think?
Thank you notes are great. This year we are making bird seed hangers and attaching a thank you tag.
sam x
I agree with you – I think a thank you note is very important – I love nothing more than to receive a thank you – although these days it usually comes
In the form of an email
I think thank you notes are lovely, and great to get children thinking about where their gifts come from.
But do I write them for moo? No, I don’t. My mum never made me write them, and I never expect them from gift recipients – particularly of I’ve seen them to give them the gift and they’ve said thank you!
I’m afraid it’s just one of those things that in an ideal world I would do, or at least get moo to do when she’s bigger, but in the meantime, it’s just something I can’t fit in, particularly not with birthday and Christmas in the same month. I know I offend some people by not sending one, but I’d rather not have the gift than live with the guilt!
I always do appreciate the effort of the ones I receive though. So well done you!
I used to dread writing them as a child! I’ve taken the decision that Jacob will start to send them once they can actually be from him.
My sister this year emailed me a word doc from each of her kids – so not the same as spending hours writing the same thing over and over again!
I’m in your camp. We did hand print thank you cards and posted them (today!) shouting thankyou into the postbox too!
I had it drummed into me from writing age. Unfortunately, I also had to write my brothers thank you’ notes, something I will be changing when Ewan is old enough!
I just asked Phil his opinion on this as I sit here half sloshed at 11.45 on a saturday night with a pile of about to be written thank you cards. He replied with, everyone has been thanked. We have either called or visited them (or both). So although I agree with you, I am actually not going to worry too much until Lola can write them herself. I HATED writing thank you cards when I was younger. Mum made us, but it was a chore.
I think instead I am going to cut up Lolas lastest piece of artwork (dont on wallpaper roll) and just write a thank you on the back. Easy done. Was fun for her, and im not going to get wrist ache!!
Although, I do agree with you…..
I think thank you cards are a lovely idea, but I’m a bit lax and rarely send them. This year however, I feel like I have to (and want to ) as I was given a lot of gifts but haven’t seen the people in person to say thank you. I think it’s something I want to really make sure I do more!
What a gorgeous picture-how happy are your children having met Santa. I’m militant when it comes to thank you cards too. Good lessons to have learnt from our mothers. Happy New Year!
I treasure any that I receive, especially from children old enough to make them themselves. The boys made their thank you cards this year using craft items they got for xmas. They enjoyed it and knew why they were making them. They signed their names and I wrote the messages. We walked to the post box. I think it’s charming and polite and I hope they’re as enthusiastic when they’re older!!! x
Yep, something I had drummed into me as a child too & something I’ve passed onto Natalie as being very important. Having said that, I get very few back! I really hope it’s not a dying tradition.
I am with you all the way on thank you cards – it was very much a part of my childhood and I have always written thank you’s from H for birthday, Christmas and other gifts. He writes some of them himself now, or at the very least signs his name. I will certainly continue this – I know these days it can be done by email or text, but it’s just not the same. I am quite offended if I send a gift and don’t get some form of thank you. Manners don’t date! Long live snail mail! xx
Oh yes definitely, Thank You Cards are important, and teaching children a good lesson. I was chuffed this year that Lilly can actually help out writing them – by signing her name – so she has been properly involved and understands what they are and why we send them.
Like you, thank you cards were something we always did as children and in my opinion are just good manners.
And you have reminded me, we still have the last few to write…
Thank you letters were drummed into me as a child, and try to get my daughters to write them to those we don’t see. It’s hard work,
getting them tpo do it, but only polite I think. We would expect them to say thank you if they were given the present face to face.
Writing thank you cards is something I used to do with my mum when I was (alot) younger! I still do it to this day, even for other events like birthdays etc.
I think it’s a nicer way of saying thank you and showing how much you appreciate the thoughtfullness of the the gift giver!
I don’t think you can replay the essence in snail mail, I think an Email thank you note would be a little inpersonal and you would lose the whole point of sending it!