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Social Butterfly

How Do You Say Thank You?

Thank you in person, phone call, text, email, note or . . . whoops I forgot, and now so much time has past, I'm too embarrassed  to even acknowledge it?

 

 I finally put a box together: simple note cards ( Dollar Store, sorry Hallmark, your price point, ridiculous. ) pens, stamps, return address stickers and ink stamp, envelopes and paper. Etiquette books say just three or four sentences ( no Robert Frost or Shakespeare here).

 

How do you say thank you? Any tips or tricks?

 

 

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Conversationalist

I like the idea of thank you notes, although it's not often I'll send one these days, just because there's rarely a reason for me to do so. But there's something genteel about it — in a good way — that I still like. I'm with you with the dollar store approach though. (In fact, Hallmark has given up competing with some of the dollar store chains and now sells a line of their cards in Dollar Tree. Smart move on their part, ya ask me.)

 

I was taught as a kid to write thank you notes to friends and relatives who gave me presents. I think it has since fallen out of favor since it really is a bit formal for smaller gifts; especially since email and phone calls can do the job.  Texting a thank-you? No. No no no.

 

In my teen years, my mother was less adamant about us kids writing thank you notes if instead we just picked up the phone and called Aunt Whoever to thank her. Seems like it would take less effort, but well, we were teenagers then. 

 

A few years ago I mentioned to my younger sister that I was impressed that I received a thank-you note (largely in her hand with my young nephew's 'signature' scrawled at the bottom) for a birthday present I sent him — and ever since I mentioned that, I have not sent any of her kids anything without receiving a thank-you note within a week or two. Evidently there was something I said, or how I said it, that spurred her on to crack the whip and get those kids to send thank you notes ever after. Well, I say, good!   

 

Good!  You want those gift cards for Five Below to keep coming on holidays and birthdays, you kids be ready to thank me in flowery prose!

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Social Butterfly

@AvocadoDog Heard a great idea for parents and grandparents to pass on to the next generation, you don't play with the gift (or use gift card ) until you write a quick thank you note.  Going to try and do that one for myself.

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Smart!  That would have gotten my thank-you notes written super-fast when I was a kid.   ...Unless it was for something I didn't like.

 

"Did you thank Aunt Myrtle for that lovely, hideous, itchy gray sweater she knitted for you for Christmas?"

"No, Mom, not yet!"

"You're not allowed to wear it until you do!"

"Oh, I'm well aware."

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Bronze Conversationalist

@AvocadoDog   Hahahahahahahaha!

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Social Butterfly

@AvocadoDog  I love it! You started my day with a belly laugh and smile. May have to steal that for a future limerick contest. 

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Bronze Conversationalist

Ever since we were little and could write, my Mother always had us  write thank you notes...to Aunties, Grands, whomever did or sent us something nice.  We always wrote thank yous for our Christmas gifts, birthday cards (that came with money of course), or if we were invited out.

I may have groaned over those thank yous, but as an adult I'm glad she made us.  I still do that now with a personal, written thank you.  Most times it is sent through the mail  (have to support my mail person!!!). But sometimes it's an email.  Every year at Christmas time, I bake (from scratch) a lot of goodies that I put in Christmas tins and personally deliver to those who deserve the most special thanks from over the year.

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Social Butterfly

@RosemaryF433825 It really does become a habit, your mom was on to something.

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@Rhymesometimes  Yep, she was, Rhymes!   (Thanks, MOM!!!)

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Lol @RosemaryF433825 can you <add me> to your Christmas List so I can get those "made from scratch" add inches to my hips goodies!! 🤣😂 Made me hungry 😭

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Bronze Conversationalist

@Anonymous   Lmao.... your going to have to get line, Rebel!  People like them so much, they give me their Christmas tins back so I will remember them the following Christmas, too.  (not kidding!!)

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Bronze Conversationalist

@Rhymesometimes Even if we tell someone thank you in person or over the phone, if there is a gift or favor involved, we always follow up with a thank you card. Besides, we like to support the Postal Service😀.

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Honored Social Butterfly

@postman29 

I do so agree about supporting the Postal Service, and would like to say a very sincere “Thank You”  for their service, which I have used for the last 65 years…and want to continue for the future.
This is not the topic for a discussion about the USPS…perhaps that could be discussed in the near future…it’s important to all of us.  

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I used to have the most AWESOME mail guy!   He always had a smile for me and had a way of looking on the bright side of most everything.  Then he retired, and I found myself with the nastiest, most uncooperative mail girl.  Instead of bringing packages to

my business, she crams them..and I mean crams, folds, and stuffs things in my mailbox.  When she is having a bad day, she shoves the mail so far back in the box I

can't reach it without getting out of my car.  (Thank you for letting me gripe! )

 

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Social Butterfly

@RosemaryF433825  Your previous mail carrier sounds like our very own Steve the retired @postman29 , hard-working and personable.

 

This was a limerick for him, previously posted:

 

You walked your beat,

hard in scorching heat.

Snow rain and when bright,

even in "gloom of night."

Postman no small feat.

 

It's an incredibly hard job, long hours.  My step-daughter was a postal carrier briefly in a bad part of town, and people were often rude, angry that they hadn't received their unemployment checks, and would take it out on her.  Multiple stories of owners intentionally letting their dogs chase her down the street, laughing as they did so.

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@Rhymesometimes   Where I live, the postal carriers drive their vehicles from mailbox to mailbox.  And trust me....people who live in the country and the woods really appreciate their service.  

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Social Butterfly

@RosemaryF433825  I'm sorry to hear about your current postal carrier, maybe a tin of your amazing cookies will soften her up!

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Bronze Conversationalist

LOL Rhyme!   She'd have to earn them first!!!

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Social Butterfly

@RosemaryF43382

 

Giving cookies would be nice,

definitely make her think twice.

Catch her complete blind,

she'll wonder why kind,

All at a very small price.

 

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Social Butterfly

Steve the @postman29  

 

Our mail is mostly ads,

and miscellaneous doodads.

Personal letter,

is so much better.

Just not from scoundrels and cads.

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Honored Social Butterfly

This is a good one…something which is underutilized, but yet, should not be overused. 
Many different forms of communication can be effective in order to say Thank You. 
For me, simplicity works the best…just as if you were looking someone in the eye and conveying a very sincere “Thank You”!…and truly mean it. 

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Social Butterfly

@williamb39198 Great point, sincerity means so much in a thank you, and easier to convey in person.

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Anonymous
Not applicable

  • @Rhymesometimes I say <thank you>. Lol way too <lazy> to do the other stuff! 🤣😂
  • As you already know we got <Dollar Tree> in common. 😎 Heading there <tomorrow>.
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