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Why is it Worth Writing & Sending Thank You Notes, Cards & Letters?

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel."
Traditional saying
Thank you notes – those simple expressions of appreciation and gratitude that so many of us find hard to write. So hard in fact that many never get written at all.
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For some strange reason, writing a thank you note or card, or – yikes! – a whole thank you letter, is one of those things that all too often gets delayed, put off and procrastinated over. In many cases this continues until it is finally judged that it is 'too late' and the whole project is quietly forgotten.

Alternatively we might persuade ourselves that verbal thanks or perhaps an e-mail or text message will be sufficient, and leave it at that.

As a result, the sending of thank you notes – an expression of gratitude that arrives in the mail and can be held in the hands – increasingly appears to be becoming a lost art. Don't let it happen! Thank you notes, cards and letters are much more than a quaint tradition or an expression of good manners. They offer benefits for both recipient and writer, and writing them is a habit well worth developing / cultivating.


Good manners and thank you notes

Sending thank you notes is closely bound up with concepts of etiquette, good manners and social virtue. In my family, receiving a gift has always meant that there is a thank you note to be written. Yes, as I child I found it a struggle (and I now realize that my parents could have made it a lot easier for me...), but nevertheless, it is a habit that has stayed with me (more or less) into adulthood.

Thank yous, and in particular hand written thank you notes, cards and letters, have a kind of ritual function. And as with any ritual, they hold a certain power. However much of a torment we find it to write them, thank you notes are always nice to receive. A heartfelt thank you note can give your spirit a lift, even make your day. A pretty thank you card makes you feel appreciated and confirms that the effort you made on another's behalf was worthwhile. In other words, receiving thank you notes makes us happy!

And the magic of it is that upon receiving your note, the recipient may well think, "Hey! That's great she liked it / that I was a help. I may just do that again...". Thus, expressing gratitude and 'giving something back' can lead to you receiving a lot more in the future.

There's no doubt about it – sending thank you notes is a win-win situation!


Thank you notes in the modern world

Despite the issue of good manners, and the mutual benefits of sending thank you notes, many people question whether they are still necessary in our increasingly technological world. Aren't they old fashioned? Too much effort? Not really worth the bother? Surely the hand-written note is no longer relevant in these days of phones, e-mail, tweets and Facebook 'likes'?

Well, it's true that sending any message by 'snail mail' can seem a little old fashioned these days, but that's part of the thank you note's charm. And there's no doubt that thank you cards are still much appreciated by the recipients. In fact, getting something personal in the mail – and especially something attractive and hand-written – is probably more appreciated now than ever before.

These days, when much of what we read is on a screen, there's a charming novelty to a real card that can be held in the hands, displayed on the mantelpiece, and then perhaps stored away safely as a memory of friendship and good times. Your thank you note will stand out simply because so few people do bother these days.

So, it is worth taking the time to write thank you notes, cards and letters. They're good for your relationships and friendships, good for your reputation, they could do wonders for your career, and writing them is certainly good for your soul. In fact, if you let it, writing thank you notes might even become a habit, and turn your whole life around.

Still don't know where to start? How to find the right words?

Don't worry – help is on hand!


Thank you notes are NOT hard to write

Yes, many of us have bad memories of the terrible chore of writing thank you notes as a child. But trust me, it really doesn't have to be like that!

Thank you notes don't have to be perfect. And they don't have to be long or complicated, innovative and creative, or use fancy phrases. Simple is just fine. In fact simple is usually best – just a few well-chosen lines presented in an attractive manner.

This site has everything you need to write and create thank you notes, cards and letters for pretty much every occasion and situation. There are hundreds of examples of what to write, sample phrases, and even whole sample letters that you are welcome to copy, paste and personalize.

And parents, give your child a break and look at our ideas and suggestions for helping kids to write and create thank you notes. They might even end up having fun in the process!

So read on and let's get started.


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