When I was younger, my mother strongly urged me sit down and write thank-you notes to anyone had given me a gift. Gifts received for my birthday, Christmas, Graduation, any occasion at all, always required a personal handwritten thank-you note. I am glad she encouraged this habit and it is something I have continued to do and will make sure Molly does as well. My cousins Ben and Reed (who are 16 and 13) have been writing thank-you notes for years and I think it's just the most precious thing. Sure, they are super short but I love receiving a note from them. It's just good etiquette to acknowledge someone's generosity.
I did some reading from Emily Post because lately I have been wondering: Do you "need" to write a thank-you card for a hostess gift? I truly couldn't find an answer. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment today and let me know what you think. If you host a party and someone brings you a gift, do you write thanking them for the bottle of wine, or ornament, or whatever cute hostess gift they gave you? Play Emily Post (or Peggy Post) for the day and whomever gives the best advice, I will send a PSA Rosetta's Peel & Stick pack.
Carly Robertson did some beautiful thank-you cards for us. She stamped using PSA Rosettas and colored it up. The sunny yellow would brighten up anyone's day, and she ties those bows so perfectly!
Carly also created this "Have a Beautiful Day" card, which would be perfect to send as a thank-you note, too. She stamped the tree from PSA Topiary – one of our best selling collections.
Here are here top 10 do's and don'ts for writing thank-you notes, according to Emily Post. Have a great day!
- Do personalize your notes and make reference to the person as well as the gift.
- Do remember that a gift should be acknowledged with the same courtesy and generous spirit in which it was given.
- Do be enthusiastic, but don't gush. Avoid saying a gift is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen unless you really mean it.
- Don't send form letters or cards with printed messages and just your signature; don't use email or post a generic thank you on your wedding web site in lieu of a personal note.
- Do promptly acknowledge the receipt of shipped gifts by sending a note right away or calling and following up with a written note in a day or two.
- Don't mention that you plan to return a gift or that you are dissatisfied in any way.
- Don't tailor your note to the perceived value of the gift; no one should receive a perfunctory note.
- Do refer to the way you will use a gift of money. Mentioning the amount is optional.
- Don't include wedding photos or use photo cards if it will delay sending the note.
- Don't use being late as an excuse not to write. Even if you are still sending notes after your first anniversary, keep writing!
- Many Thanks: Cardstock: white (Papertrey Ink.); Pattern Paper: yellow gingham (A Muse); Stamps: PSA Rosettas (PSA Essentials), sentiment (A Muse); Fibers: yellow saddle stitched ribbon (Papertrey Ink.); Gems: rhinestone (A Muse); Markers: Copics; Tools: large scallop circles (Spellbinders)
- Beautiful Day: Cardstock: white (Papertrey Ink.); Pattern Paper: yellow Vintage paper (A Muse); Stamps: PSA Topiary (PSA Essentials), sentiment (A Muse); Fibers: yellow stitched ribbon and flower trim (A Muse); Markers: Copics; Tools: metal tag (Making Memories)
First, love the cards, gorgeous! I love yellow and don't see it enough on cards.
ReplyDeleteAs for the the thank you card for a hostess gift, you do not need to give a thank you card. They gave you the gift as thank you for inviting them to your party. :)
Oh cards are so lovely. I really like the colors.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tanya, I think you can surpass the thank as you are the host. However, if you have time, I suggest sending one. A little note can really brighten someone's day.
Love love love the yellow and white thank you card! Simple and elegant! And cute!
ReplyDeleteYou can never go wrong writing a thank you note. No one in the history of the world has received a hand written note of thanks and been offended by it. If you are feeling grateful, write a note. Plain and simple. The recipient will have a smile put on their face and remember you for it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think its necessary to send a thank you card for the hostess gift, but maybe a thank you card for attending my wonder party would be nice. I agree it's always nice to receive something cute and thoughtful in the mail. Rarely do people actually send anything via postal service now adays so I'm always delighted to get a little note or package by suprise.
ReplyDeletegina s.
ginaboyce@yahoo.com
I think the world has gotten too overdone with emails, tweets, cellphones and every electronic means of communication there is. If a person takes the time to pick out a hostess gift, I believe the recipient of the gift can write a short note of thanks telling the person how they used the gift or intend to use it. Don't we have 5 minutes to be polite anymore ?
ReplyDeleteMy motto has always been "when in doubt - send a card"! Heck, I'll even send out thank you cards for "occupant" mail I receive - ANY reason to go into my craft room and create!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards! I don't send a thank you if someone brings a gift to an open-house type of party since essentially they're thanking you for having them over.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card, love the warm color of yellow!!
ReplyDeleteI do send thank you cards every opportunity I can but have never done so for an open - house type of party, food for thought as this would be an great time to send your thanks!
This (the part gift) is a chance to teach the younger generation how to write thank you notes. It's too easy to jump on the ole computer or type in a number on the cell phone. Teach our youth that a written note tops all the rest.
ReplyDeletePS
I made my children( and now my grandkids) send written notes after receiving Christmas goodies
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ReplyDeleteProper Etiquette can get a little nutty...almost comical sometimes...like a Chip and Dale episode. “Thank You“, “No no Thank You.” Who will end up being the most grateful the most thankful the most gracious?
ReplyDeleteMay it not be that way in our case. As a hostess I do not expect a hostess gift. But how delightful they are to receive. I know I personally like to bring one if I can and I certainly would not expect the hostess to write me a thank you note when I do. More than likely we have genuinely expressed our appreciation to one another at that time. Having said that when you are personally motivated to thank some one for an act of kindness or a material gift ...by all means do so.
And what beautiful sample of a hand made thank you card. Simply gorgeous!
Gorgeous Projects TFS!
ReplyDeletexdebrax@yahoo.com
Oh, the Rosettas card is so pretty and cheery. I love making cards and always have plenty on hand for Thank You's for myself and my children to use when needed.
ReplyDeleteLove your cards :) I would imagine that you don't *have* to send a Thank You for a Hostess Gift because that is like saying Thanks for saying Thanks... would then then have to send you a Thank You for Thanking them? It could be a vicious cycle of Thank You's :)
ReplyDeleteThough I don't think you need to send a thank you for a hostess gift since it's a thank you gift to you? I say do whatever feels right. If you feel you should, then by all means create a lovely card and send it along. :-D
ReplyDeleteI was brought up that you just say thank you for ANYTHING that is given to you regardless. I always wrote thank yous after Christmas for gifts, after birthdays for gifts and anytime I got a gift just outta the blue. It is common curtosy to write a thank you... think of the other person how they will feel to receive the Thank you. As yrs went by the tradition of writing has went away with the computer age. Keep a personal Thank you alive by still sending them!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you need to send a thank you note for a hostess gift, it is a thank you gift to the hostess, but when recieveing the gift you should always say a big heartfelt thank you to the giver. But for anything else a Thank you note is alwys nice, it is better to send one and the giver to love it, then o not send anything at all and the giver feeling unappreciated.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win one of your stamps, I love them.
mkds312@hotmail.com
I too was raised to write thank you notes, RSVP to parties, and not wear white pants after Labor Day...heck I'm from the south too!!! However I do remember my Mother saying once you didn't send a thank you note for hostess gifts as that was a thank you for the hospitality you were offering your guests. So dare I say my Mother were ever wrong...I googled it for you and came up with this answer from Lisa Plancich http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45808.asp(" While it’s a nice gesture, keep in mind that you, the guest are in fact giving a thank you for the invitation. Your hostess gift is a thank you. Yes, it may be a gift which makes the event more exciting or helpful, but you are the thanker and there is no etiquette which requires a thank you note for a thank you.")
ReplyDeletePersonally I think it would be better to jot down on a calendar several months out to send a little thinking of you card, how nice to get something out of the blue instead of sending something that you feel is an obligation.
Hugs and Happy New Year, Lori
I feel a little uncomfortable because I have just such a stamp at home for his signature on an album, but never did I think that would be a change of subject. Again something new for me and thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteI like to enter his mark on the product. However, for us it is sufficiently expensive and thus remains only in one of its designation.
Greeting cards are beautiful. Above all yellow I like it very much. Even greater success this year, which has recently been born.
It will be hard picking an answer. So many good ones. I thought there was a rule about not needing to send a Thank You Note if you said Thank You in person at the time you receive the gift. The fact that the gift itself is a Thank You from an invited guest does not require sending a note of thanks. I do think that sending a personal note will be remembered and enjoyed by the giver, especially if it is a special and beautiful card like the ones in this post.
ReplyDeleteNow I wonder if it is bad etiquette not to bring a hostess gift when invited??
Love those sunny little thank yous. As for a thank you note for a thank you gift (hostess gift), it could get overdone like when you sneeze and someone says God Bless You and you say thank you and they say thank you back and you say thank....
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jengd
Thanks for the Do's and Don'ts, I think old fashion thank you cards are being replaced by technology. I believe taking a moment to send a card says so much more from the heart!! Thanks
ReplyDelete