Writing "thank you notes" is a lost art. When is the last time you received a thank you note from someone? Do you think about writing thank you notes when you receive something?

I don't know about you, but it is so nice to receive a simple, heartfelt note in the mail to let you know that you gift was appreciated. In a day where email and text messages have taken over and "snail mail" is rarely used, we have forgotten how much fun it is to run to the mailbox and see what awaits us! And many of us probably do not even think about sending notes when we get a gift. It's easier just to call and say "thanks" over the phone or just not do anything (because after all, we deserved/earned that gift, and they know we appreciate it, right?).

Thank you notes don't have to be elaborate. They are supposed to be a simple statement of thank you. For anything that you receive - cash, gift, place to stay while traveling, etc - it is important to let that person know how thankful you are. By taking the time to write a couple of sentences and put a card in the mail, you show them that their efforts are appreciated. Writing thank you notes can be a chore, but it is worth the extra effort on your part!!! Did you know that when you thank someone for a gift, they are much more likely to send another one? Now, don't misunderstand, just because you don't say thank you doesn't mean that you won't continue to receive gifts, but I promise that the giver is probably reconsidering what they give you next time.

When it comes to family, it is harder to determine when to write a note. I mean, do you send your parents a note? What about your siblings? According to an article I recently read (link below), the general rule of thumb is that if you live under the same roof, you're off the hook. Other than that, you should be writing a note!

If you are the giver of a gift, you shouldn't be expecting a note, at least that shouldn't be the reason you give. While it is definitely nice to receive notes of appreciation to let you know that your gift is appreciated, you should be giving because you want to and not because it's expected.

I know I have a hard time when I give gifts to certain people because I so rarely feel that they were appreciated. It hasn't stopped me from giving, but there are definitely moments when I consider what I'm going to get or how much to spend because I don't feel that the recipient ever shows any sort of appreciation. There really is no excuse for not sending a thank you note; they don't require much effort, writing, money, time, etc.

If you are a parent, your children will only learn about this from you. It is something so important and so simple that even little children can write a note to say thank you. We, as a society, are so spoiled with getting what we want that we don't always realize that someone went out of their way to do something for us. I was blessed to have my parents instill in me at a very young age the importance of writing a thank you note. As a child, I dreaded writing these notes. They always sounded the same, and I could think of so many better things to do. I just recently learned that some of my tried and true ways of writing notes are not how they should be written. There are "do"s and "don't"s to thank you notes. I mean, I didn't know that you should send letters to your parents (since they don't live with me anymore). I guess I always thought that since they were my parents, it was expected. Also, did you know that you are supposed to write a thank you note when you interview with someone to thank them for the opportunity to interview? I really think this is a lost art, and people no longer realize how important it is to let someone know you do appreciate what they do.

http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/how_to/how_to_write_a_thankyou_note.php