We are AWFUL about thank you notes. It’s a source of continual frustration and shame. I have no excuse – my parents were faithful and consistent about teaching and modeling a practice of writing thank you notes. In fact, one of our favorite things to get in the mail was my dad’s thank you notes, scratched in his (barely) legible handwriting. We would take turns reading aloud, the first time quickly with much laughter, and the second for actual comprehension. We keep one pinned to the bulletin board – makes us both smile and tear up in remembrance.
One of our last letters from Grandad
Often our problem isn’t writing the notes, it’s MAILING THEM!! Ugh. Once I found a sweet note Joshua had written to my uncle TWO YEARS after he had received the gift. Seriously? Hanging head in shame.
So two nights ago when I was making Tim’s lunch, I had the brilliant idea of gathering the kids together for a Daddy Thank You Note writing session. I hoped a few cheerful cards in his lunch bag would help ease the transition off vacation and back to “real life.”
“What did I get for Christmas? It’s been so long.”
“Um, it’s been a week and a half.”
“I know, but I still can’t remember.”
We use a company called Send Out Cards for our Christmas letters and other photo cards. For several years we’ve had a subscription, but we never really used it to its full potential. We have birthdays loaded into the database as well as addresses and contact information. I hate to even admit how easy Sendoutcards makes it to upload your own photos and connect with friends and family.
Thank you notes to Pa!
But this is January, a new year. Fresh starts and all that. Surely we can do better! I think Mamie mailed out at least a dozen thank you notes while she was staying with us – it does NOT have to be difficult or time-consuming, fancy or long-winded. A simple note. A stamp and we’re done. David has already gotten online, uploaded a picture and sent off a cute thank you note. Only one, but still it’s a start!
These kids look VERY grateful!
I’d like to be done with all of our Christmas thank you notes by the end of this month. We won’t talk about the ones from the birthdays over this past year. Sigh. I guess this is a good time to mention how very grateful I am for all the gifts and hospitality our family has enjoyed over the years.
If you don’t get a personal card, consider yourself thanked here on the blog. 
Kathy
You’re right Kathy! My cousin and I were just discussing this, this afternoon. We too were taught to write thank yous and in a timely manor. We also discussed the lack of hand written anything any more. All because of technology! I admit I will use technology before a hand written note ever since my hands became to crippled to write for long. It has now been 2 and a half years since my hand surgeries. They are almost completely back to 100% normal. I can crochet again as of this year and I have just attempted one counted cross stitch item (not finished, but it is small) and I also hand wrote some special thank yous a couple months ago. It really felt great to do that! Anyway, I just wanted you to know that you aren’t the only one who has struggles to write a note or mail it too and that you are also not along in making it a goal this year to improve on writting them!
God Bless and Happy New Year!
I was thinking about this today, too. And about the related topic of trying – again – to remember and acknowledge all family birthdays. Tall order. Have I missed anyone yet??