Thank-You Notes With a Personal Touch

According to the Emily Post Institute, all gifts should be acknowledged with a thank-you note, unless the presents were opened in the presence (get it?) of the gift-giver. If you are able to thank the giver in person as you open the gift, you’re off the hook – unless, says Emily, the giver is one of the “older generation” who expects (and appreciates) a hand-written note of thanks as a gesture of respect and consideration.

An e-mailed thank-you is OK only if you have a casual relationship with the gift giver and already correspond regularly via e-mail. But when in doubt, write it out – a handwritten note is infinitely more personal and thoughtful. Think of it as the hug your gift-giver would have gotten had you been together when the gift was opened. An e-mailed thank-you, on the other hand, is more like a fist-bump. Or maybe a high five.

If you have a little time to spend on your thank-you note (sure you do), it’s easy to use your computer and printer (or scissors and glue) to create a custom note card. By adding creative photos, printouts or elements that tie in with the gift or your relationship with the giver, you can make the card itself a meaningful and fun part of your expression of heartfelt gratitude.

Some thank-you note theme ideas:

• Take a digital photo of the recipient with the gift (opening it, enjoying it, or just posing as shown above)
  
  
• Scan an old photo of the gifter and the giftee together
  
  
• Decorate a card using packaging or giftwrap from the gift, or a printout from a related website
  
  
• Use something that ties in with the gift -- if your gifter gave you a gift card for a bookstore, decorate the card with the art from a best-selling book. If he/she gave you a ski jacket, cut out a snowflake or find a graphic of a skier.
   
• Think about the past: If you went to France together once upon a time, use some French graphics on the card (or better yet, write it in French!). If you were college chums, decorate the card with a graphic of your school’s mascot.
  
  
• Think about the future: If you will be seeing her in 2010, decorate the card with a tiny calendar with your reunion date circled. If he is planning a trip somewhere exciting, use a photo of his destination.

Give it a little thought…see if you can come up with something fun to make that special someone extra happy to get your note.

Either way, just be sure to write the dang note. Ms. Post says a late thank-you note is always better than no note at all (but why wait?).