National Thank You Note Day

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By Diane Forrest

When I was just a young girl, every time I received a gift, my mother made me write a thank you note.  This was a task I despised doing, especially after Christmas, it was like doing homework during my vacation.  As I grew older, I understood the importance of a thank you note when I started giving gifts.  When you look at it as someone who loves you, thought enough about you to go out to a store, look for something you would like, purchase it, give it to you, wrapped or not.  Those actions need to be acknowledged.

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Some major Thank you note occasions are graduation gifts, wedding/engagement gifts, new baby, birthday, and Christmas.  I remember reading a letter to Dear Abby a while back.  It was from a disgruntled grandmother, who sent her grandchildren gifts, but never received acknowledgement.  Her solution to the problem was to give a gift of thank you notes so maybe they would get the idea.

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My stepsons are notorious for not sending thank you notes, not only do they not send a note, text or email, but I never even get a notification that the gift was even received.  Since I have to mail gifts to them, I want to make sure they get them.  So, I will wait a week then ask if they got whatever I sent.  They usually do, but one time my stepson never got his birthday present.  That happened to be the only time I purchased insurance for a gift, but was till refused reimbursement, because their records showed that it had been delivered.

Last week when I went to my father's for our daily viewing of Judge Judy, He gave me a block of cheese.  His neighbor, who frequently joins us, was also present, and I assumed that he was the one who gifted me the cheese.  I was just about to write a note, when I learned that another person had provided the gift. I like to write a note as soon as I get a gift, mainly so I don't forget about it.  However, you do have a grace period after receiving wedding, graduation or any large gift getting occasions.   Two years ago my cousin was married in July.  I sent her a wedding gift, and received a thank you note in December that included a thank you for the wedding gift, Christmas gift, and the Christmas gift for the previous year as well as a sympathy note for the loss of my husband.  I’m not sure what Mrs. Manners would say about that, but I was just thrilled that she remembered.

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I have received a few gifts already, so while today is National Thank You Note Day, take this time to write a note, send a text or email, and acknowledge the gifts you have received, before you forget too!