Stock up on thank you cards

Greetings:

Tis the season to receive gifts, dinner invitations and other nice gestures. Receiving is great and should be acknowledged with a thank you. Although a verbal thank you is nice and an email can suffice, I like the idea of sending a handwritten card to acknowledge the kindness of others.

Gratitude is one of the keys to happiness. Showing your gratitude to others helps to spread the joy and show appreciation for what others have done for you. One of the easiest ways to make sure you are always ready to show your gratitude and say thank you is to have a stack of cards on hand. These cards can actually be Thank You cards you purchased at the store, blank note cards or even just plain old writing paper. For those of you who are more ambitious you can make your own. Whatever you wish to use will do. By having what you need on hand when the time comes to send a thank you it won’t be a hassle and it there won’t be any delay.

Because this is the time of year when receiving is at its height, having cards in reserve will make getting those thank yous out easily and quickly. When would you send a thank you? During this time of year you will want to send thank you notes to friends and family for the wonderful gifts (include cookies and homemade treats), the host and hostess of the parties you attended and even the people that have helped you throughout the year such as your Mailman (or woman) or Gardner. This is a great time to show appreciate for all those people in your life that make it easier.

You might have so much fun doing this that you will want to make it a habit to do during the rest of the year too. Keeping cards at the ready will help make the task easier. You could even pre-stamp the envelopes so there will be no delay is saying how much the gift or kind gesture meant to you.

If you are unsure of how to write a thank you note I have a simple formula. Start with Dear (fill in the name). The first line of the thank you should tell the person what you are thanking them for. The next line should tell the person how you will use the gift or how much fun you had at the party. The third line should express your gratitude and appreciation. You can say more if you want but you don’t have to. Sign your name, put the card in the envelope, seal it, address it and let the Postman deliver your gratitude.

Example:

Dear Best Friend:

Thank you so much for the Cherry Red Saturn Convertible Sky sports car. I am having so much fun driving around town with the top down. This was such a thoughtful gift and I will think of you every time I speed down the highway with the wind whipping through my hair and the music playing.

Love and Kisses
Your Best Friend

Action to take today:

Today purchase a box of thank you cards and a book of stamps. This way you will be ready to send out your gratitude in a timely and stress free manner.


“What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it--would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have.” Ralph Marston

Here's to taking action,

Rachelle