Saying Thank You
Don't Forget: Say Thank You
After your big day is over, the decorations have been cleaned up, and the leftover cake is begging to be eaten, instead of grabbing a fork, pick up a pen and dig in to writing your thank you notes. Let those who care about you—both friends and family—know that you are grateful for the kindness they showed you.
If you need to brush-up on your thank you note etiquette, here are some quick guidelines:
• The sooner, the better. Drop your thank you notes in the mail as soon as possible. But, if you happen to get behind, a late thank you note is always better than no thank you at all.
• Don't simply fill in the blank. Take the time to talk about what you like about the gift that you received and why it is special to you: You love that artist's music. You had a great time figuring out that building set or art project.
• Give back. Sending a note makes others feel good and shows that their effort—being there for your party or choosing a gift for you—was appreciated. A thank you note can be a gift in itself.
• Have fun! Writing a note should be anything but drudgery. Use colorful paper, pens, stickers, stamps, photographs. Make your note uniquely you and your gratitude will shine through.
Need Inspiration?
Everyone needs a little inspiration sometimes. Writing 20 thank you notes can be a daunting task. Get creative and you'll have fun along the way. Here are a few ideas to get you going:
• Make your own thank you stationery. Using photographs from your party, create a photo collage card at an online photo site and have them printed. These cards will not only share your gratitude but will also share some fun memories from your party.
• Create an e-card at www.smilebox.com with photos, music from your party, and even your own voice recording. Personalize and email one to each individual guest. Manners, please. No group thank you.
• Draw a picture. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Even still, make sure you add a few words of your own.
Above all, send it whether by hand, by post, or by electronic mail. You will make someone else's day just by letting them know that they made yours.
Thank You note
