Charlotte Flemmings, a 22-year-old graduate of Spelman College, learned early in life the importance of saying thank you.
"When I was younger, my mother would make me send thank you letters for everything – birthday parties, scholarships. I felt like she was the only one who does this, but clearly other people do," said Flemmings, who is gearing up to send out thank you letters for gifts she received over the weekend.
For many area students graduating from high school and college this month, gratitude will put the "grrr" in graduation as their technology enhanced lives do battle with the art of the written thank you.
Even Flemmings, well versed as she is in writing thank you letters, says she is more likely to reserve handwritten letters for older or professional patrons. "With friends, I'm more likely to call and say thank you, or I might send them a text," she says.
But Carla Kooistra, owner of Etiquette Atlanta, says if a student is unsure about what is appropriate, even among friends, always err on the side of mailing a thank you letter.
"It shows a little bit of extra effort. If anyone has gone through any sort of financial expense to acknowledge your graduation, you need to show you appreciate it," she said.
"It doesn't have to be a long lengthy letter," says Kooistra. "It can just be a few lines as long as it is sincere."
Email does not suffice, nor do typewritten letters or fill-in-the-blank templates, and certainly not text messages, she says.
There is one circumstance in which it is okay to not send a thank you note, Kooistra said. "If you get a card with no gift, you don't have to send a thank you note, but it would be nice to give a phone call," she said. "We should still show acknowledgement of the card."
Thank-you tips from Kooistra:
Send thank you notes 24 to 48 hours after a gift has been received.
Letters should always be handwritten. No email, text messages, or typed notes.
Always mention the gift received in the letter, unless the gift is money. Don't mention the amount of money, but do tell how you plan to use it. The same goes for gift cards.
Thank you notes don't require expensive stationery. Some less expensive options include cards from retail stores or software programs that let you design your own stationery.
A few of our suggestions:
"Thank-You Flat Panel" cards, $13 for 50 cards and envelopes at Target.
"Thanks a Bunch" note cards, $10 for 14 cards and envelopes at Papyrus, Lenox Square.
If you're crafty, use print software to create your own stationery or cards. One to try, Nova Print Artist Platinum 22, $40 at Office Max.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
