December 27, 2022 — Cardies being Cardies, we’d wager that you’re all set to start in on Thank You cards and notes — especially since so many of you took us up on our offer of a boxed note set of your choice with our compliments back in mid-November. Good for you and the world!
In that same Cardie Newsletter on Saying Thanks, we asked, “Are your kids or grandkids being taught the importance of Thank You notes? And who taught you?” We’re sharing a few Cardie Comments here for inspiration and in the hope that gratitude continues to flow well into the new year!
Cardie Rosemary Guchone
“Thank you notes are so important! When I was a girl in the ’60s, the day after Christmas my siblings and I sat around the dining room table writing thank you notes, not leaving the table until they were finished. I raised my son the same way. My grandchildren are only two and three, but the tradition will be passed down to them as well.”
Cardie Julie Baxter
“I started with a group of grandchildren, teaching them to write basic ‘thank-yous.’ They drew a ‘card,’ and I would write their words for them to their parents, grandparents and Auntie. When they were old enough to write, we graduated to using fill-in-the-blank cards. I bought them colorful, fun notecards to encourage note writing, but never saw them used. Then I purchased nicer notecards, but still had to prompt them, or bring cards to simply sign. Finally, last year I saw it begin to pay off when the eldest graduated high school and wrote a note on his own stationery! So, there’s definitely hope out there!”
Cardie Marcia Rockwood
“My mother was a journalist who taught her four girls the importance of thank you notes (and correspondence in general). She passed last year at 95 and continues to be a guiding presence in our lives. While we do lack her talent for penmanship, we have passed along the importance of saying thank you to our children and grandchildren.”
Cardie Betsey Kleitz
“My mother would make my sisters and I sit at the dining room table to write our thank you notes. I did not like doing it back then, but I am glad it ‘stuck!’ I still write thank you notes. It feels like a real connection to thank someone.”
Madeline Stockbridge
“When our kids were old enough to write notes, we had a rule — they could play with the new gift, once the thank you note had been written. To this day, as grown adults, they have that habit. Our three grandsons carry on the tradition and their notes adorn our refrigerator. Recently, I asked our Pastor if any staff member sends a thank you note when a memorial gift is received. I was horrified to learn that no one does! Guess who has taken on that assignment?! I now have a drawer full of Cardthartic note cards for that purpose.”
Cardie Dot Coltane
“I send Cardthartic cards every single week and have learned how much people truly appreciate receiving a card they can actually hold in their hand (especially with text messages taking over). Our eldest granddaughter has been writing thank you notes for years. Now, as a junior in college four hours away, the two of us continue to send each other real mail almost every week. I also send her stories and memories from when I was a little girl and she keeps them in a notebook.”
Cardie Penny Schiller
“I was so touched by the offering of your fabulous cards — a very kind act — which makes me think there’s a need for more cards relating to acts of kindness … ha ha for the compulsively kind! I’m reminded of my amazing astrologer, Isabel Hickey, from long ago who has since passed … she suggested that every time we put something in the mail that we surround it with love and light so that all who touch it will receive that positive energy. That goes for your mail carrier, all the postal workers, the person processing your bill payment, or someone receiving the card you have sent. I just love thinking about this and still remember to do it!”
Cardie Pat Fournier
“Our children were taught at a young age to write thank you notes for anything they received! And our grand children are excellent about writing thank you notes also!! Yayforcardies!!!”
Cardie Lynn Olden
“I love giving and receiving cards. When I was a child, my mother taught me to send thank you notes for gifts and sleepovers. I taught my own children that notes are a must, as well. So many people think that if they text a ‘thank you,’ then that is enough, but Everyone appreciates being remembered in a note!”
Cardie Bonnie Gould
“I’m the oldest of seven children and believe me we were not allowed to do anything until the thank you notes were written, addressed, stamped and mailed.”
Cardie Carol Miedema
“Your thoughtfulness in gifting all your loyal Cardies is greatly appreciated, as I am one of them ☺️ Now retired, as a teacher I incorporated a unit on writing thank you notes in K, 1st, 3rd grades and even middle school … a great way to incorporate grammar, too. (It seems grammar has not only taken a back seat, it may have gotten off at the last stop!) The practice of expressing gratitude is one I tried to pass on to my children and grandchildren, with less success than I had hoped. Last Christmas, I added personalized notes in my grandchildrens’ stockings … the kids were so excited to see their name, but I’m not sure any cards were sent. I’ll try again and continue to model — the best we can do! In this day of increased volume of paper that fills our mailboxes, how fun it is to see a handwritten envelope! Thanks to the amazing writers in this Cardie Community and the newsletters focusing on the power of the written thank you note, the practice may gradually return.
Cardie Candy Smith
“My mom taught me early about thank you notes. Before I could write, I drew pictures and Mom would add the note. As I got older, I wrote my own thank you notes the very next day after a gift was received. My husband and I married, and I found that his two daughters were very good about writing thank yous because their mom had taught them. When they were grown and had children of their own, one daughter’s three sons did not write notes because his father did not deem it necessary. There was some banter back and forth, and two of the sons finally wrote them. After not receiving any thank yous from the third son, we saw to it that he did not receive any gifts from us. It was a real shock to his mother, “He’s just a kid!” but that’s how important we believed it is that kids learn to feel and express gratitude from an early age. Even a ‘young’ 12 years of age! All is well now. We receive thank yous from all three grandsons, and their wives, plus our six great-grandchildren ages two to 16. We will receive thank yous from our twin five-month-olds once they can hold a crayon and scribble a picture for us! This may be an old tradition, but definitely one to keep going!”
December 27, 2022 — Cardies being Cardies, we’d wager that you’re all set to start in on Thank You cards and notes — especially since so many of you took us up on our offer of a boxed note set of your choice with our compliments back in mid-November. Good for you and the world!
In that same Cardie Newsletter on Saying Thanks, we asked, “Are your kids or grandkids being taught the importance of Thank You notes? And who taught you?” We’re sharing a few Cardie Comments here for inspiration and in the hope that gratitude continues to flow well into the new year!
Cardie Rosemary Guchone
“Thank you notes are so important! When I was a girl in the ’60s, the day after Christmas my siblings and I sat around the dining room table writing thank you notes, not leaving the table until they were finished. I raised my son the same way. My grandchildren are only two and three, but the tradition will be passed down to them as well.”
Cardie Julie Baxter
“I started with a group of grandchildren, teaching them to write basic ‘thank-yous.’ They drew a ‘card,’ and I would write their words for them to their parents, grandparents and Auntie. When they were old enough to write, we graduated to using fill-in-the-blank cards. I bought them colorful, fun notecards to encourage note writing, but never saw them used. Then I purchased nicer notecards, but still had to prompt them, or bring cards to simply sign. Finally, last year I saw it begin to pay off when the eldest graduated high school and wrote a note on his own stationery! So, there’s definitely hope out there!”
Cardie Marcia Rockwood
“My mother was a journalist who taught her four girls the importance of thank you notes (and correspondence in general). She passed last year at 95 and continues to be a guiding presence in our lives. While we do lack her talent for penmanship, we have passed along the importance of saying thank you to our children and grandchildren.”
Cardie Betsey Kleitz
“My mother would make my sisters and I sit at the dining room table to write our thank you notes. I did not like doing it back then, but I am glad it ‘stuck!’ I still write thank you notes. It feels like a real connection to thank someone.”
Madeline Stockbridge
“When our kids were old enough to write notes, we had a rule — they could play with the new gift, once the thank you note had been written. To this day, as grown adults, they have that habit. Our three grandsons carry on the tradition and their notes adorn our refrigerator. Recently, I asked our Pastor if any staff member sends a thank you note when a memorial gift is received. I was horrified to learn that no one does! Guess who has taken on that assignment?! I now have a drawer full of Cardthartic note cards for that purpose.”
Cardie Dot Coltane
“I send Cardthartic cards every single week and have learned how much people truly appreciate receiving a card they can actually hold in their hand (especially with text messages taking over). Our eldest granddaughter has been writing thank you notes for years. Now, as a junior in college four hours away, the two of us continue to send each other real mail almost every week. I also send her stories and memories from when I was a little girl and she keeps them in a notebook.”
Cardie Penny Schiller
“I was so touched by the offering of your fabulous cards — a very kind act — which makes me think there’s a need for more cards relating to acts of kindness … ha ha for the compulsively kind! I’m reminded of my amazing astrologer, Isabel Hickey, from long ago who has since passed … she suggested that every time we put something in the mail that we surround it with love and light so that all who touch it will receive that positive energy. That goes for your mail carrier, all the postal workers, the person processing your bill payment, or someone receiving the card you have sent. I just love thinking about this and still remember to do it!”
Cardie Pat Fournier
“Our children were taught at a young age to write thank you notes for anything they received! And our grand children are excellent about writing thank you notes also!! Yayforcardies!!!”
Cardie Lynn Olden
“I love giving and receiving cards. When I was a child, my mother taught me to send thank you notes for gifts and sleepovers. I taught my own children that notes are a must, as well. So many people think that if they text a ‘thank you,’ then that is enough, but Everyone appreciates being remembered in a note!”
Cardie Bonnie Gould
“I’m the oldest of seven children and believe me we were not allowed to do anything until the thank you notes were written, addressed, stamped and mailed.”
Cardie Carol Miedema
“Your thoughtfulness in gifting all your loyal Cardies is greatly appreciated, as I am one of them ☺️ Now retired, as a teacher I incorporated a unit on writing thank you notes in K, 1st, 3rd grades and even middle school … a great way to incorporate grammar, too. (It seems grammar has not only taken a back seat, it may have gotten off at the last stop!) The practice of expressing gratitude is one I tried to pass on to my children and grandchildren, with less success than I had hoped. Last Christmas, I added personalized notes in my grandchildrens’ stockings … the kids were so excited to see their name, but I’m not sure any cards were sent. I’ll try again and continue to model — the best we can do! In this day of increased volume of paper that fills our mailboxes, how fun it is to see a handwritten envelope! Thanks to the amazing writers in this Cardie Community and the newsletters focusing on the power of the written thank you note, the practice may gradually return.
Cardie Candy Smith
“My mom taught me early about thank you notes. Before I could write, I drew pictures and Mom would add the note. As I got older, I wrote my own thank you notes the very next day after a gift was received. My husband and I married, and I found that his two daughters were very good about writing thank yous because their mom had taught them. When they were grown and had children of their own, one daughter’s three sons did not write notes because his father did not deem it necessary. There was some banter back and forth, and two of the sons finally wrote them. After not receiving any thank yous from the third son, we saw to it that he did not receive any gifts from us. It was a real shock to his mother, “He’s just a kid!” but that’s how important we believed it is that kids learn to feel and express gratitude from an early age. Even a ‘young’ 12 years of age! All is well now. We receive thank yous from all three grandsons, and their wives, plus our six great-grandchildren ages two to 16. We will receive thank yous from our twin five-month-olds once they can hold a crayon and scribble a picture for us! This may be an old tradition, but definitely one to keep going!”
I loved reading how people taught their kids and grandkids to write thank you notes. I especially liked Madeline’s, that they couldn’t play with their gifts until they wrote the thank you for it. Surefire way to get those thank yous out there.
My brothers and I were taught early on that writing thank-you notes was expected for any gift we received. I taught my son the same way, and he was very good about it until he got to college. Then it became e-thank you notes, written on his computer! Not the same, but better than not getting a note of some kind in writing, I guess. He always makes sure to verbally thank the giver as well, so his “old school” mom has had to adjust. (Sigh).
WHAT WONDERFUL STORIES
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE
FOR SHARING ♥
I AM MOVING.
SO….. LOTS OF SORTING.
I FOUND A THANK YOU NOTE
SUCH AS JULIE AND CANDY
DESCRIBED. COLORFUL
“SCRIBBLINGS” (PICTURE)
FROM A NIECE. HER MOTHER
HAD PRINTED “THANK YOU”,
FROM SIDNEY. THOSE
CHILDREN ARE ALL GROWN
UP NOW AND STILL SEND
THANK YOU NOTES.
KUDOS FOR THOSE
WHO TEACH CHILDREN
THE VALUE OF GRATITUDE
AND SENDING THANK YOU
NOTES.
Thank you Jodee for all of the reminders of the beauty of a handwritten note, pen to paper rather than fingers to keys .. . and I say that as I tap away here. Happy New Year to all the Cardie’s. XXX000 Paige
Great stories about the value of thank you notes. Jodee, thanks for the wonderful gift of thank you notes. I love mine and have used nearly all of them.
I made my kids write thank you cards after playing or spending the night at someone house. I have always told them that manners take you a long way on this crazy world.
Thanks Julie@ Lindy’s Downtown Market
I love reading all thee comments.
It seems as if the “Thank You Note” has disappeared from todays society.
I was raised to write Thank You notes because most of my extended family lived far away. I raised my three children to write Thank You Notes within one week of receiving Christmas, Birthday, Communion and Graduation gifts.
The busy schedules that parents have today have been replaced with texting or (if lucky) a phone call saying thank you.
THANK YOU for the lovely box of Thank You note cards. I gave them to my daughter who is now going through Cancer treatments and wanted to send notes to friends and family for all their thoughts and prayers.
Praying the Thank You Note comes back!