Thank You Notes: The Art of This Timeless Tradition

With our world becoming so technologically advanced, we are beginning to see a trend where postal snail mail is slowly fading away. We are relying on e-mail, fax, ipod, instant messaging, and the like to keep in contact with our business and personal associates. One thing that still remains and holds value is the old-fashioned thank-you note.

It is just plain good manners to thank someone personally, in writing, for a gift or good deed that has been bestowed upon you. Thank-you notes are authentic, personal, and show the recipient that you truly appreciate their act of kindness. These help everyone reconnect in a world of e-technology. The cycle of gift-giving is not considered complete until a thank-you note has been given. The process of writing one does not require you to be Shakespeare or Mr. Wit. It's actually very simple. First, thank the person for the gift and explain how you will use it. You can then write about the next time you will see the gift-giver.

Marilyn Kasmiersky, director of the Junior Assembly Cotillion in Montgomery County, says there are two keys to writing thank-you notes. First, you should send your thank-you note no later than a few days after receiving a gift. Waiting any longer makes you appear ungreatful. Second, thank-you notes can be brief but it is important to mention the type of gift you received. Don't make your note generic. Relating to the gift specifically shows that you appreciate the time and effort it took to shop for you. Who doesn't like to feel appreciated?

Here are some tips for thank-you note card writing:

*A thank-you note should be sent no later than a few days after you receive a gift.

*The thank-you note can be brief but it's important to mention the type of gift you received.

*It's a good idea to keep thank-you notes in your car. That way, after a job interview or business meeting you can jot down a few points from the meeting and then drop it off at the nearest mail bin. A handwritten thank-you note will really make an impression on a potential employer or business contact.

*To get children in the habit of thank-you note writing, make a creative project out of it.

*When you send a gift through the mail, make sure a write a thank-you card to let the person who sent it know you received the gift.

*Take care to use neat handwriting and nice paper.

*Have a stationery stash for quick thank-you note writing.