Expressing your thanks only takes but a moment
By Ginna Young, Courier Sentinel
The guests have all gone home, the flowers and ribbons have faded, the leftover food is divided up between relatives and the beautiful bridal gown is carefully stored in the back of the closet. What’s left to do from the special day? Only one thing.
That’s right, the thank you notes still have to be composed and popped in the mail.
Once, when a gift was received, no matter how big or small, no matter the occasion, a handwritten thank you note was immediately sent to the giver. It might be only a short missive ( Thank you so much for the lovely present, I will certainly enjoy it!) or it could be quite descriptive in detail ( Thank you so much for the gift of a table runner; I can’t wait to use it for our next dinner party, the color goes so well with the wall color. When I use it, I will always think of you!).
Either way, it was simply unacceptable to wait more than a month, to express gratitude to the giver of the gift. Even if the gift wasn’t truly what one wanted or was unexpected, a thank you was a must, just part of simple manners. However, that seems to have changed. In the day of instant messages and RSVPs, thank yous have seemed to go by the wayside, leaving guests with a few questions.
Did they get that gift and/or card with money? It was left it right on the table, where they specified. Did they not like it?
Taking the time to write a thank you should be the No. 1 priority, a week or two after the wedding is over, to not only thank guests for their thoughtfulness, but to also take stock of what was actually received. Some gifts are duplicates, while the money gifted can help pay for the special day or the dream honeymoon.
Besides that, it’s one last chance to show the guests how much it meant that they could share in the special memory of a couple’s wedding day. If someone isn’t good at expressing their thoughts, generic cards can be sent, where the message is already written out and all that’s needed is a signature.
Or, a text, email or social media message would do just as well. Keep in mind, not everyone has access to technology, such as Great-Aunt Ida, who thinks her cell phone is only for calls or Grandpa Bill, who believes that technology is the devil’s own and won’t even sit near a computer. Adjust accordingly and make sure to know which version of a message is needed.
Whether by snail mail, instant messaging or a social media post, it doesn’t take long to compose a thank you, and it’s a nice gesture to those who spent their time and money, to celebrate that memorable day!
