After getting a few cards from our students at Christmas, we realized that they didn’t know how to correctly use preprinted cards and envelopes. In their sophomore and junior marketing classes we teach them how to write thank you LETTERS. Three paragraph, business style letters, with salutations and complimentary closes. Handwritten cards are another matter.
Yesterday I handed out informal thank you notes and envelopes after having told them the day before to bring the name and address of someone they wanted to thank for something. Fortunately the bomb evacuation didn’t drive the thought from their heads. Some of them had two people they wanted to thank. I diagramed the note and envelope on the board, showing them where to write and how to place the note in the envelope. One smarty pants wanted to know if there was a certain direction they should lick the flap.
They all seemed to like the exercise, and I hope that in years to come there will be a group of people out there who show appreciation for all kindnesses.
I always insisted my boys write thank-you notes for presents (even when they were young), and showed them the proper procedure.
It was a struggle to get them to do it, but after Son #1 graduated from college, a friend who had given him a present commented what a nice thank you note he’d received.
It’s never too late to learn the importance of thank you notes! Both of my girls are fabulous note-writers. One of the things I did best as a Mom!
That reminds me… I need to write some thank-you notes for Christmas presents! Thanks for the reminder. (Should I write a thank-you note for that?)