The News Journal - Let us give thanks

By Victor Greto

Let us give thanks

They took the time to buy you a gift; you can take the time to write them a thank-you note

By VICTOR GRETO, The News Journal

Posted Monday, December 25, 2006

So, the gift wrap's been torn off and the ribbons worn on your head as crowns. You've enjoyed the give-and-take rituals of the holidays, the warm thoughts of family and friends behind the presents themselves.

You've likely stuffed yourself into a vaguely porcine shape and could benefit from a downhill slope to the house.

What's a reveler to do now?

Turn off all the gadgets, sit yourself down, and write thank-you notes.

Saying thank you and saying it correctly is still important, especially around the holidays, says Joan Stokely, president of The Society of Diplomacy in West Chester, Pa., and an expert on etiquette.

Both adults and children should take the time to write the notes, she says.

The note ought to include:

• Mention of the specific gift

• How the gift will be used

• A wish to see the person again soon -- "I look forward to seeing you soon," or, if that is not possible, "It was great to see you," etc.

• And a fond farewell, i.e. "Yours," "Fondly," "Love."

One more thing: "It's important to get the notes out in a timely manner," Stokely says.

But that doesn't mean using e-mail. "It's best to do it with a card," Stokely says. "With e-mail, you lose something. With a small card, just like with a business card, you can touch it, look at it, feel it a while. It's giving back a little bit more."

To make it easier for you, we've designed three thank-you cards you can just fill out and mail. Yes, these are designed mostly for children. But we bet a lot of folks on your thank-you list would laugh at getting one of these from you.

They might be laughing as they cross you off of next year's gift list, but they will be laughing nonetheless.

Copyright ©2007, The News Journal. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (updated 10/3/2005) Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (updated 10/3/2005)

< Back