Remember to say THANK YOU!

The etiquette of saying thank you.

We are at the peak of gift giving season, of holiday party invitations, of sharing dinners with friends and family.  All those events are acts of love and as such should be thanked.

As we say Thank you, we  show  that we appreciate what has been done for us. It shows respect and consideration for the giver and rewards with affection all of the trouble that another human being has gone through, just to please us.

Many times we skip saying THANK YOU, simply because we are not sure how to do it, or don’t think it is necessary. Let’s start by saying that a THANK YOU is always necessary if we have been the recipient of an item (gift) or an action that was meant for our pleasure or enjoyment. Whether, we actually liked or enjoyed it, is another story. But, remember that a very important part of having good manners is showing consideration for our fellow human beings. This is as good a place to start doing just that.

It is also, a very good time of the year to promote this habit among our children and grandchildren. They are so fortunate and have received so many presents, that it is our obligation to teach them how to show gratitude.

There are a few simple rules:

1- Handwritten Thank You Notes:   Remember those, yes they still exist and should be used.

-The rule is that if you received a gift in the mail or delivered in some way that the giver was not present to be thanked right then and there, then please send them a thank you note, ideally mentioning the item that was received and some detail showing how much you are enjoying it. This applies to the store gift card sent by your aunt in New York as well as the tickets to the game that your mother gave you by having them ready for you at the “will call” ticket window at the arena!

-After a holiday dinner at your best friend’s house. She should be told how much fun you had and how great her cooking is. Let her know you appreciate her efforts! Put a little note in the mail and you will always be on her guest list, guaranteed.

2-E-mail Thank You:

-Any invitation that you received electronically, can also be thanked afterwards the same way. Keep in mind that you should keep your message short and that is not a private communication as is a letter, so your comments must take that into consideration.

3-Phone Calls:

-I think that the human voice is precious! Now days it is getting more and more unusual to receive a courtesy call which makes it all the more rewarding. If you received an invitation by phone, by e-mail and even by mail, you may always say thank you by making a quick call. It should be short as the only subject of conversation should be saying thank you for a specific event. Don’t take the opportunity to start talking business or about your cousin’s surgery, leave that for another moment. You want the person you call to understand that it was a thank you call, so limit your subject of conversation.

Get in the habit of saying THANK YOU; remember that saying, “What goes around, comes around” before you know people will start thanking you, and won’t you be pleasantly surprised.

Happy New Year and thank you for reading my blog. Hope it has been useful.