Don’t discount the importance of handwritten thank you notes.

The invention and spread of email and the Internet in the 1990s changed the way many of us communicate. Gone are the days of long hand printed love letters mailed from abroad, the mailed invitation to a dinner party and the handwritten thank you note. Most of us have completely changed our letter writing habits in favor of electronic communications; and Millennials never developed those habits in the first place!

Now we use not only email, but Facebook invites, Twitter private messages, Instagram messages and Snapchat to invite, thank and profess our love to our family and friends. And while there is a lot to be said for the convenience and connectivity of all of these tools, there’s also something lacking about them as well. Handwritten thank you notes, letters and invites should not be abandoned completely.

And while email thank you notes may be acceptable, even by the Emily Post Institute, a handwritten thank you is still the preferred method. According to the Emily Post Institute, if your relationship with the giftee is casual and you communicate via email regularly, then a digital thank you is appropriate. On the other hand, if your relationship is more meaningful, like a grandmother or a really close friend, handwritten thank you notes will go so much further in conveying your message of thanks.

So, whether you choose letterpress stationery or note cards that are a little less formal, consider putting pen to paper the next time someone gives you gift or does something nice for you. Getting a real letter in the mail is such a rare treat that it will communicate just how special that person is to you.

From the funny to the elegant, here are 5 thank you notes to have at the ready for the next time you need to thank someone for a kindness.

Merci Thank You Card Set

Sunshine Yellow Letterpress Thank You Card

“Grassy Ass” Thank You Card

Art Deco Vintage Burst Thank You

Thanks a Bunch 6 Pack

Resources: http://www.emilypost.com/everyday-manners/common-courtesies/61-being-thankful-a-thank-you-note-qaa

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