Writing a thank you note is a small, gracious way to let someone know that their kindness towards you is appreciated. It validates and acknowledges a person and their thoughtfulness.
I enjoy writing notes. A little basket filled with cards, envelopes, stickers, colorful pens and stamps sits on my desk ready to use.
But, something has gone a-rye this summer. I am behind in my thank you's! I have several notes that need to go out to some very dear and thoughtful people that are late! How embarrassing!
I thought you might like to refresh your memory as I am refreshing mine on the art of writing a thank you note.
This note is to my friend Barb for inviting me to a wonderful evening in a darling garden shed for high tea. It is a note well overdue. All the pictures are from that special evening.
Here are some recommendations to help write a Thank You Note from the heart...
I remember reading about Princess Diana.. she would not go to bed until all of the thank you notes she needed to get out in that day were done. She would get home from an event and before going to bed would write a note of thanks for the evening. Wonderful discipline and grateful spirit!
Having said that, late is better than not at all. I am happy to know that! Now I must write a note of apology too!
From now on I am following the example of the Princess!
This seems so elementary~ address the person by name. If you don't like to use "dear" how about dearest, hello, hi, greetings or just their name.
Whatever the kindness, don't forget to specifically mention it. This is no time to be generic. Spend a couple of sentences writing about the specific gift or thoughtful benevolences. When writing a thank you note for a gift you might tell the giver why you are so pleased to get it, how you are going to use it or how the gift will impact your life in a good way.
If you are writing, like I am, to thank someone for a special time give details of that time that were meaningful to you. Write about how you experienced the occasion.
If you did not care for a gift, find something to say that is sincere. Remember "It's the thought that counts".
This is the basis for your note! Make sure to say thank you! Let the giver know that you are grateful for all the time, money and thought that went into a gift or kindness.
Mentioning something personal about the giver connects you on a more intimate level. This is a must in every thank you note.
Mention something about their family, hobbies, sports team, talents, home, positive personal traits, pets, time spent together...
End a thank you note with an appropriate ending salutation and sign your name. Don't leave out a closing such as love, sincerely, my best to you, thank you again, with respect, take care, God bless you... It is yet another way to show gratitude.
Most importantly, be sincere. Let your note flow from a heart filled with gratitude.
Look for opportunities to send a little note of thanks.
My friend Susan from Thought From Over The Rainbow has a siimilar and wonderful post on writing a thank you note. Please visit this talented blogger and her informative post.
I have just found the most delicious, inspiring blog! The White Bench is full of beauty and creativity. Please click HERE and visit Monica. She has the most adorable dog who even smiles for pictures!
I have just found the most delicious, inspiring blog! The White Bench is full of beauty and creativity. Please click HERE and visit Monica. She has the most adorable dog who even smiles for pictures!
I am participating in Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound. Beverly, our hostess has all the pink news! Click HERE to visit. Thanks, Beverly!
Love it! Happy Pink Saturday ;0)
ReplyDeleteBonjour Yvonne,
ReplyDeleteA fantastic reminder to get those Thank-You notes out promptly. It is genius how you made this topic so intereting and beautiful!
Bon week-end my dear friend,
Mimi
A very nice post Yvonne! It doesn't take long to make someone's day, not to mention it's the right thing to do. Happy weekend:@)
ReplyDeleteWell said Yvonne. Sending and receiving a thank you note will never go out of fashion.
ReplyDeleteWe can do this via email but it just doesn't have the same impact.
Like you, I have a collection of pretty note cards and coloured pens to perform this duty.
Yvonne, this seems the perfect opportunity to say "thank you" to you for your beautiful, informative and inspiring posts. The time and effort you put into each one is very evident and appreciated. I look forward to a visit with you every day.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
I love personal note writing, and I think it's becoming a lost art.
ReplyDeleteI find that many, if not all, of the same principles apply in cyber/blogland as well.
Thank you for this lovely reminder of such a genteel gesture. In this day of instant messaging, emails, and such, it seems this beautiful art of a handwritten note is getting lost. I received such a note last week and it truly made my day. It reminded me that there was a time when I was very good about these things and I too have gotten caught up with the technology of the day.
ReplyDeleteNo more!! I am going to follow your example!! thanks for sharing!!
So nice to see a post on this. My Mom raised me to always call and thank someone but also it was important to follow up with a thank you note. I instill this value in my two young girls today. I think it is still so important and an email just doesn't always cut it. :-) Thanks for this lovely post! You have a great blog.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Jill
What great thoughts -- I have an overdue thank you as well! You've inspired me to do better -- and now I need you to give me instructions on how you add the letters of differnt color in your blog notes -- I love that!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Yvonne! What a wonderful post and as usual the photo's are gorgeous. I agree with you...it's so important to thank people for their kindness and thoughtfulness. Even though I'm sure they're not expecting anything back it's still nice to know that it was appreciated. Thank you for the little reminder. Have a wonderful weekend...Maura :)
ReplyDeleteSo so true the art of writing personal notes or even letters has gone by the wayside with everyone using the computer or texting to communicate.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful reminder of an almost lost art. It speakes of a softer,gentler time-before emails & text messages. Diana
ReplyDeleteVery nice, Yvonne. It is still the classiest way to say, thank you! Hand writing letters, notes, etc is becoming a lost art. I love to send notes and cards. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fabulous post, Yvonne. Such an important message...and delivered with your usual creative flair.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, one of my HUGE pet peeves is people that don't send thank you notes. I'm specifically talking about gifts (checks) you send in the mail. You don't even know the check gets there until you discover it on your bank statement.
Several years ago, I actually asked a family member if her children did not like the gifts we sent because we never even knew if they got them. (That was bad manners on my part, but this had been going on for years, and I had finally had it). She simply made an excuse about how busy the kids were and how they didn't have time to write letters.
Anyhow, I'm sending you a great big thank you through this comment. While I don't have your physical address, if I did, I would send you a card telling you how much I LOVE reading your blog. It is beautiful, gracious, and inspiring. I am blessed every time I am here (well, the sewing tutorials brings lots of tears, but I LOVE looking at the beautiful things you created).
Anyhow, thank you for being a blessing. And by the way, I LOVE your teacup bird feeder. SO pretty.
Hugs,
Patti
There is nothing quite so charming as giving or receiving a hand written thank you note. This is a wonderful refresher course.:)
ReplyDeletePS The high tea sounds like such fun and the photos are awfully sweet!
Yvonne, you certainly walk the talk. Your notes on everyone's blogs are so sincere and so warm and complimentary. Even though we have just met through blogging a short while ago, you make me feel like I have known you for years, and I have read comments of yours to others and you always do the same. I believe it is a gift, but I do think we can try and cultivate that gift.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful "tutorial" on this gracious art. I need to be more like Princess Diana too. What a lovely human being she was.
It has been a great first Pink Saturday.
very cute. :-) I'm glad to see that people are still writing thank you notes! Letter writing in general seems to be a dying art. I went looking for stationary at three different stores the other day and came back empty-handed...nobody had it!
ReplyDeleteWe always need to thanks our moms, who taught us to write our thank you notes. Great observations...always a good reminder to each of us. Tea party in the garden shed...I love the whole idea. Cherry Kay
ReplyDeleteA wonderful reminder! I feel that the art of the thank you is a dying one, but I am happy to carry it on and insist that my children do so as well.
ReplyDeleteI love the fun fact about Princess Diana! Thank you for this beautiful post. Have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you for the great reminder! I think I need to go out and puchase some beautiful cards right now! Carla
ReplyDeleteLove your write today. It is something I am truly a stickler for ... THANK YOU acknowledgements.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely PINK weekend.
TTFN ~ Marydon
Hi Yvonne, what a lovely post. You are such a giving and generous blogger - truly. Every one of your posts is presented with such a wonderful voice - never judging, always providing us with practical and beautiful ideas and/or reminders in a gentle and friendly way. I'm so glad to be a follower! Ciao, bella!
ReplyDeleteWhat perfect timing! I have six thank you notes (I know....mine have piled up, too!!!) to write, and I'm so happy to have read your "refresher" on "Thank You note etiquette". Very good ideas....all will make the recipient get a warm fuzzy inside!
ReplyDeleteThank you again....
Sue
What a lovely way to remind all of us to write a prompt thank you note. I remember learning in high school the proper way to write a "thank you" card and letter. We even received a grade of pass or fail.
ReplyDeleteHappy Saturday!
Mary
Lovely post for Pink Saturday. Thanks for sharing such great advice.
ReplyDeleteHappy Pink Saturday Yvonne Sweetie...
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous share today. I love that someone still writes out thank you cards. Imagine that. It is like a thing of the past with computers, now everyone just sends an email, and you know what? You are right, it is NOT the same. A hand written note is so much more personal. When one is able, a hand-written thank you is so lovely to receive.
Thank you for such a beautiful picturesque post today.
Many hugs sweetie...Sherry
Writing thank you notes is one thing I learned early from my Mother! I always do it and mostly, very quickly. Many times I do like Diana and write the note the night when I get home. I also sometimes call the day after. Last night we went to a small partgy at a friends home and I called her tonight when we got home to thank her again. This is GOOD information to many young people. So many don't know to write a note of thanks. Greatr post, Yvonne! XO, Pinky
ReplyDeleteDearest Yvonne,
ReplyDeleteThat could have been written by me; kindred spirits! It is almost a lost art and yet, a written note - however short - will be picked up and read many times! That might become the only thing left... at some day. People are all rushing towards the next 'new gadget' etc. etc. But writing will always stay with us and it remains very important!
Once again, many thanks and wishing you a nice Sunday, from Georgia
MariettesBacktoBasics
Yvonne, Such a lost art and you have posted such a wonderful reminder. I especially like the little box at the ready to be used whenever needed. Nothing gets in the way of thoughtfulness like not being prepared. Thank you, Patty
ReplyDeleteI wrote a post about thank you notes when I first started blogging. It was interesting that the responses of women our age was very "pro-note" and I was told from younger readers that it was a lost art, soon to disappear. Sad, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteDear Yvonne -- Once again another lovely visit to Stone Gable and a great reminder to write down the feelings in our hearts! I do miss the old days of fat letters from friends afar! E-mails and phone calls are nice, but fat letters can never be replaced by modern conveniences. I heard that Laura Bush was also very meticulous about writing thank you letters. Thank you for the lovely post! Joni
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing a wonderful post and providing so much helpful information. Each time I receive a well written thank you, I make a point to share it with my children since writing thank you notes is almost a lost art. I always tell my children that when I receive a well written note it makes me want to send another gift. Thanks for keeping gracious living alive!
ReplyDeleteNo- Thank YOU!!! Too much to list them all!
ReplyDeleteHappy Pink Saturday, dear Yvonne. I am so happy to see that you discovered Monica. I adore her. Thank you for introducing her to your readers.
ReplyDeleteThis post will serve as a beautiful inspiration for the grace of receiving. Expressing gratitude and appreciation warms the hearts of the giver and recipient.