Thursday, September 27, 2012

Celebrate National Thank-You Day!

The Ultimate Holiday Site...a spinoff from the Hallmark Channel, says today is National Thank-You Day!

I hope y'all will join me today in celebrating!  It's a great time to stop and recognize small acts of kindness.  There are many reasons to write a thank-you note.  This morning I will be catching up and writing a few thank-you notes.   Acknowledging a kind deed or gift are just a couple of reasons.  Writing a thank-you note shows that you are grateful for the act of kindness shown to you.  You are repaying kindness!

To be perfectly proper, thank-you notes should be written on 'monogrammed notes' or 'correspondence cards.'  Monogrammed notes are good-quality folded notepaper, white or ivory, and include a monogram {or name} on the front.  Correspondence cards, which have no fold, are made from three-ply stock, white or ivory, and measure 6 3/4 x 4 1/4 inches.  Your name is printed across the top.  Here are just a few of the pieces of my thank-you stationery wardrobe.


Monogrammed Notes...Begin writing on page 3 of the foldover card.



Monogrammed Notes...Begin writing on page 3 of the foldover card.





Correspondence Card...Begin writing on page 1




Please do not e-mail your thank-you note--that is an etiquette faux pas!  Begin your note by telling the person how thoughtful they are and how they always find the perfect gift for you.  Mention the gift and how you will use it.  Close by thanking them again.

Small children should be taught that presents are given to them as acts of kindness.  If you want your child to be thoughtful and courteous, you must train them to send thank-you notes.  

Failure to write a thank-you note is an etiquette faux pas and it will be remembered.  It is never wrong or too late to send that thank-you note!

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
~William Arthur Ward

8 comments:

Merry Wife said...

Few things can make my day like a beautifully written thank you note amid an otherwise boring stack of junk mail and bills. :)

Tikaa Herridge-Cone said...

I love that you wrote this post, so many do not send thank you notes anymore. They are such a sweet, personal and thoughtful gesture.

Thank you,
Tikaa
green acres brenham.blogspot.com

Natalie said...

You are my authority on manners! I wrote a thank you note to the lactation consultant who really helped us. Love showing gratitude!

Martina said...

What kind of card should you use for kids? I used to let my 5 year old draw a picture and write Thank you for ...., hes writing abilities are very limited as he is just learning to write. But just curious for in future, on what kind of cards i could use or get for him.

Miss Janice said...

Martina,

Any foldover card or correspondence is fine for children to use. Until a child is able to write, you may write the note for him/her and let them draw a picture...you are just trying to teach them to repay acts of kindness with gratitude.

Regards,

Miss Janice

Gert said...

Janice, I'm so glad you put this post up. I always try to send out thank you's and love to get them in the mail also. Guess I can't imagine anyone not appreciating a thank you...smile

Blessings,
Gert

william said...

Miss Janice, thank you for posting this! Everything you said is so true and cannot be said often enough. My mother taught us always to write a thank you note for every gift and for every dinner party or any occasion when someone has shown hospitality. Are these thank you notes for parties a Southern custom, do you think? So many people just do not send them.
Francie

Miss Janice said...

Francie,

Sending a thank-you note after a dinner party is showing gratitude to the host and hostess...I'm not sure if it's a Southern custom, but Southern ladies have been known to have their thank-you notes ready to go in the car on the way home from a dinner party!