For the Sake of Decency

When we were younger, my Mom would get on my sisters and me about sending our Grandmas thank you notes for our gifts. To a ten year old, writing a thank you card looks like a heavy task, but I got in plenty of practice with neighbors and relatives over the years. 

Momma always taught us to write thank you notes immediately. If we were extremely busy, we weren't to let more than 10 days pass without mailing them out... 2 weeks being borderline embarrassing. 

With text messages, Facebook comments, and tweets easily accessible at the tapping of our finger tips, thank you cards have been dulled down to pathetic means- if by any means at all. Hopefully thanking a person still crosses peoples' minds in this society.

Hand-written thank you notes are a lost courtesy that need their importance reemphasized. Emily Post must be rolling over in her grave if she is seeing culture's manners today. 

The only thing worse than sending text message thank yous is sending none at all. Texts that say "thank you" are sent as easily as the daily "hello" texts we send to our friends. Therefore, official thank you's should not be sent via text message or tweet. 

And may I just say, how could someone honestly think that the receiver of his or her thanks feels appreciated in such a manner? Truthfully, it doesn't take much work to open up our phones and send a message or open up the Facebook App and post a quick comment. We do that everyday... they're habits for a lot of us. Maybe a simple thank you text is the preface to the card on the way; however, texts should not be the final result of someone's gracious extent. 

"Let me be clear. An email thank-you card is to a U.S. mail thank-you card 

what paper plates are to fine china: poor imitations" 

-Shelley Rushing Tomlinson.

People want to feel like they are worth a little work for the work they have given us. For goodness' sake, write a letter. It's such a simple way to express gratitude. 

I have seen numerous situations where my generation doesn't understand that thank you notes are not an option. We are either not being taught or not caring enough. Thank you notes aren't only meant for gifts, but for when someone helps you out. Whether if it's a kind word of encouragement, a job reference, an invitation to dine with someone, or a fun night out; a thank you note is polite.

I got into a conversation with one (of my three) Grandmothers a few years ago, and she expressed to me that she stopped sending one of my cousins money because he or she did not send my Grandmother thank you cards. Isn't that sassy? My poor cousin. 

Do's & Don'ts

• DO hand-write your thank you notes. Written letters take more time and energy than typed ones.
• DON'T text, tweet, email, etc. your thanks and expect that to suffice.

• DO personalize the letter. Dress it up with compliments and details.
• DON'T merely say, "thank you for the present. It was nice"

• DO be timely and write a thank you ASAP.
• DON'T put off sending your thank you.

• DO be sincere in your compliments and thanks.
• DON'T exaggerate and over-do your compliments. 

• DO spell names correctly and check your grammar
• DON'T be sloppy.

• DO thank others for generosities you may not even appreciate.
• DON'T forget that it builds others up to serve you.. even if you may not feel you need the help.

“Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings 

of others.  If you have that awareness, you have 

good manners, no matter what fork you use.”

-Emily Post

"A gracious woman gains respect,

    but ruthless men gain only wealth." 

Proverbs 11:16