So I’ve written a lot about thank-you notes over on this blog over the years. Here is one post.
I strongly believe in thank-you notes, these days even more than before.
I actually googled something about age appropriate thank-you notes and the comments on the particular post were so… well, ugly, especially from people who didn’t feel they had to send a note.
Four sets of twins
a few quick notes on my thinking:
- People have taken the time to traipse into a mall and buy something for you. They then wrapped it and some very nice people even attached a card (I love cards!).
- The least I can do is instill in my kids gratitude both for the gift but more importantly, for the time spent in getting it.
- (maybe it’s because I hate shopping so much – I’m a “surgical shopper” (a phrase I picked up somewhere) – I go in, get what I want and get out)
- In years past, it’s still been a partnership – I’ve handwritten all those notes myself and the kids have helped in varying degrees – sticking the stamps, choosing the washi tape, putting stickers on the envelope, going with me to the post office, etc.
This is a font but it is a neater version of my actual handwriting 🙂
After the party, I sent this note to all the guests by email, along with one photo with most of the kids.
So this year they can write!
On the one hand, that’s great. On the other hand, they don’t get the whole spacing thing (no matter how many times I tell them) and I had to physically stop and take deep breaths MANY times.
I was really tempted to just do all the notes myself – it would have been quicker, neater and most of all, prettier!
BUT then I remembered the purpose of me going through this torture – to make them feel grateful and express that gratitude. It’s not about me and what people think of me.
How we did it:
- They were not allowed to play with anything til after they’d done the thank-you note. I allowed a few things on the weekend because I wasn’t ready with the card assembly line yet.
- I gave each twin half of the cards to do; I think Connor had about 2 extra because he was going faster.
- They decorated the envelope and stuck washi and address labels on the back.
- I wrote down the people’s names; they copied that and they know how to write their own names.
- Connor wrote : From Connor and Kendra; Kendra wrote From Kendra and Connor
Result – it was imperfection at its very best.
However, my mother, Dion’s mother and one of our friends (at the time of this writing) all told me they LOVED the thank-you notes, so I’m considering three out of fifteen a success!
