Thank you messages

Pollycat

cjdavies wrote: »

I don't write Christmas cards, so I'm not going to go out and buy thank you cards and write them out.

I view sending Christmas cards and thank you cards as 2 very different things.
One us sending greetings (or just keeping in touch) the other is expressing gratitude for a gift.

fierystormcloud

Person_one wrote: »

If it works for you that's fine, nobody's saying thank you cards are wrong, but I personally think a medium that allows an actual conversation/exchange is much nicer, I suspect I'm not in a minority on that one. I think the only time that thank you cards are still de rigueur is for weddings.

I'm with you. I have never sent - or received a thank you card. Nor would I want one, or want to send one. I would text, email, tweet or tell them 'thank you' when I saw them. And I would see them within a week or two, as anyone who ever buys me gifts is someone who is in my life and who I see at least 2 or 3 times a month. As I said, (and someone else did I think,) surely you don't buy gifts for someone you never see anyway? So why can you not just wait for the person to thank you personally.

But yeah, I would never send a thank you card or letter, or want to receive one... Maybe it's a much older generation thing? Like a couple of generations before us? (I think you are in your 30's too yes person one? )

Hedgehog99

Person_one wrote: »

[snip]
I find that thank you cards are always a bit stilted and awkward anyway, because its just not a natural way for most people to communicate these days. Most people will express their feelings and have more of a meaningful and genuine conversation through text, phone or email.

It's good for kids to learn and appreciate different writing styles. Essays, postcards, cue cards, drafts, annotated sketches, text abbreviations - they all have their time and place. Now that teachers are complaining that "text speak" is cropping up in exam answers, it seems even more important.

I was taught to write a thank you like this:

Dear X,

Thank them for the gift and say something nice about it e.g. Thank you for the lovely gloves. They go really well with my coat and bag.

Then say a bit about what you've been doing recently.

Thank the sender again, including best wishes for the New Year if it was a Christmas gift or maybe wishing them well if they've been ill recently or that they enjoy their forthcoming holiday etc, and sign off.

Not difficult is it.
Elderly relatives used to tell me they left my thank you cards up for a week or two to enjoy.

For households without many stationery supplies, one sheet of A4 folded in half & half again the other way makes a "notelet" and kids can draw a picture on the front and write inside. A second sheet of A4 printer paper makes the envelope, with the bonus that kids learn about the various net designs that will make the envelope.

fierystormcloud

Hedgehog99 wrote: »

It's good for kids to learn and appreciate different writing styles. Essays, postcards, cue cards, drafts, annotated sketches, text abbreviations - they all have their time and place. Now that teachers are complaining that "text speak" is cropping up in exam answers, it seems even more important.

I was taught to write a thank you like this:

Dear X,

Thank them for the gift and say something nice about it e.g. Thank you for the lovely gloves. They go really well with my coat and bag.

Then say a bit about what you've been doing recently.

Thank the sender again, including best wishes for the New Year if it was a Christmas gift or maybe wishing them well if they've been ill recently or that they enjoy their forthcoming holiday etc, and sign off.

Not difficult is it.

Elderly relatives used to tell me they left my thank you cards up for a week or two to enjoy.

For households without many stationery supplies, one sheet of A4 folded in half & half again the other way makes a "notelet" and kids can draw a picture on the front and write inside. A second sheet of A4 printer paper makes the envelope, with the bonus that kids learn about the various net designs that will make the envelope.

Not difficult? Nah. A lot of hassle? Yes. Couldn't be bothered with all this faff. A text, a tweet, a Facebook message, or an email is just fine. If the sender has none of the above, just thank them when you see them FGS.

If anyone is that desperate for me to purchase stationary supplies, then go through a Blue Peter session to make a card for them, then waltz down the post office (2 miles away!) and spend 75p on a stamp to post the flippin' thing, then I would rather they kept their gift.

And I'm not being funny, but the content of the letter that you said you used to send sounds a bit forced and patronising.

Becles

The ex-inlaws had thank you letter rules. They live 350 miles away. It must be a hand written thank you letter and it must be posted on the day or day after the birthday.

Before the incident I referred to before, I was "told off" when the children rang to say thank you by phone or because thank you letters arrived "too late" - as in a few days after the birthday. Lets face it, how many small children want to sit down quietly and neatly hand write a thank you letter on their actual birthday when they're hyper from the excitement from it!

Pollycat

fierystormcloud wrote: »

I'm with you. I have never sent - or received a thank you card. Nor would I want one, or want to send one. I would text, email, tweet or tell them 'thank you' when I saw them. And I would see them within a week or two, as anyone who ever buys me gifts is someone who is in my life and who I see at least 2 or 3 times a month. As I said, (and someone else did I think,) surely you don't buy gifts for someone you never see anyway? So why can you not just wait for the person to thank you personally.

But yeah, I would never send a thank you card or letter, or want to receive one... Maybe it's a much older generation thing? Like a couple of generations before us? (I think you are in your 30's too yes person one? )

I have received 'thank you' cards but not for giving someone a gift.

Imho, 'thank you' cards are if someone has done something really special for you, gone out of their way to be kind or supportive and you want to recognise that action(s).

Becles wrote: »

The ex-inlaws had thank you letter rules. They live 350 miles away. It must be a hand written thank you letter and it must be posted on the day or day after the birthday.

Before the incident I referred to before, I was "told off" when the children rang to say thank you by phone or because thank you letters arrived "too late" - as in a few days after the birthday. Lets face it, how many small children want to sit down quietly and neatly hand write a thank you letter on their actual birthday when they're hyper from the excitement from it!

Now this ^^^^ sounds excessively demanding.

onlyroz

FBaby wrote: »

Really? Not at all in my circle, which includes older members who are all in regular use of texts, emails and even Facebook, as well as parents in their 30/40s. We all do thank you cards.

Considering how rare it now is to get something nice through the post, a card through the letter box is a much nicer surprise than a text amongst all the mundane ones I receive every day.

I've recently taken to sending photo messages as a gesture of appreciation to people (e.g. Here's a pretty flower I saw and I thought of you) and I've received some lovely ones in return. You can now also send small sound clips, or fireworks and balloons that light up your phone display. iMessage also lets you send people virtual kisses and hand-drawn pictures. I expect other messaging apps let you do the same. Hardly "mundane".

Person_one

Becles wrote: »

The ex-inlaws had thank you letter rules. They live 350 miles away. It must be a hand written thank you letter and it must be posted on the day or day after the birthday.

Before the incident I referred to before, I was "told off" when the children rang to say thank you by phone or because thank you letters arrived "too late" - as in a few days after the birthday. Lets face it, how many small children want to sit down quietly and neatly hand write a thank you letter on their actual birthday when they're hyper from the excitement from it!

That's not the spirit of giving at all, is it? I'd have ignored their ridiculous pouting, if you've thanked them you've done what you need to do.

fierystormcloud

GlasweJen wrote: »

I got a thank you Snapchat this Christmas, was gone before I could screen shot it but I was very happy for the sentiment as I wasn't able to see my nieces over christmas as I'm too ill and even a common cold could kill me in my current state.

My other nieces thanked me by phone (showing off her gift), a drawn picture and a thank you photo of baby with gift tagged on Facebook.

Sounds lovely.

Hope you are feeling better soon Jen. :beer:

fierystormcloud

Becles wrote: »

The ex-inlaws had thank you letter rules. They live 350 miles away. It must be a hand written thank you letter and it must be posted on the day or day after the birthday.

Before the incident I referred to before, I was "told off" when the children rang to say thank you by phone or because thank you letters arrived "too late" - as in a few days after the birthday. Lets face it, how many small children want to sit down quietly and neatly hand write a thank you letter on their actual birthday when they're hyper from the excitement from it!

Is this why they're ex in-laws?! :rotfl: :rotfl::rotfl:

Person_one wrote: »

That's not the spirit of giving at all, is it? I'd have ignored their ridiculous pouting, if you've thanked them you've done what you need to do.

Agree ^ :T

That sounds bonkers. Very demanding and precious. Like I said before, if someone gives me a gift, and wants me to go clapping and cheering and back slapping and cooing and ahh-ing, and writing messages like 'thank you for my gloves, they go well with my socks, oh thank you again blah blah blah....' I would rather they kept the gift!

onlyroz wrote: »

I've recently taken to sending photo messages as a gesture of appreciation to people (e.g. Here's a pretty flower I saw and I thought of you) and I've received some lovely ones in return. You can now also send small sound clips, or fireworks and balloons that light up your phone display. iMessage also lets you send people virtual kisses and hand-drawn pictures. I expect other messaging apps let you do the same. Hardly "mundane".

Sounds lovely. Far better than a short handwritten letter that someone felt obliged to send. IMO, sometimes more thought goes into emails and facebook or twitter messages with icons and smilies etc, than a short (and often forced) handwritten letter. Plus, many more people see it if it's on facebook or twitter.