If you’ve ever blown off sending a thank you note, you are not alone. Master the task and cast your shame aside for good.

You know you should. Your Mother told you to do it. Your intentions are good. But you always seem to drop the ball on thank you notes.

Join the club.

Other than birthday cards or notes to Grandma, most of us are not big on hand written notes these days. Even email is taking a back seat to other forms of instant communication.

The written letter may be a lost art. But you know what’s still hot and always will be? Hand written thank you notes.

There is something impersonal and even inadequate seeming about a thank you email. And thank you texts? Letitia Baldrige would have hit the hizzy on those, for sure.

In order to properly thank someone, going old school is an absolute must. As in, pen and paper.

4 Tips to Thank You Note Perfection

1 Card Stock // Having thank you note essentials on hand means no procrastinating and timely thanking. Fire those babies out rapid speed (like, when you get home from the party, interview, what have you) to avoid future self-shaming over not getting someone thanked. This is as simple as stocking up on pretty note cards and stamps. One more thing: If you have blown off the thank you for what seems an embarrassing amount of time, send it anyway. Truly, better late than never.

2 Details, Details // Generic thank you notes are not only boring, they border on rude. A personalized note speaks volumes. Mention the event and something you spoke about, talk about the gift and how you will use it, tell them that you are looking forward to seeing them at a specific time and place in the future. A little charm goes a long way here.

3 Short Hand // Writing not exactly your favorite pastime? We are not taking a four page letter here. That blank note card still staring up at you? This is where a template may come in handy. No, it’s not cheating. Even those of us who love to write need prompting sometimes. Experts in all things communicado, Hallmark has a handy dandy template just for, you guessed it, writing the best ever thank you notes.

4 Seal the Deal // Yes, a thank you note is often fitting even if you’ve thanked in person. A follow up thank you note is suitable post job interview, when someone has thrown a party in your honor, when you receive a gift not in the presence of the giver, etc. If Mom gives you a bundt cake or close friends have you to dinner every other weekend, forgoing a formal note is probably acceptable. Tip: When in doubt as to whether to send a note, send the note.

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Image of woman writing note via Shutterstock

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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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The post Mind Your Manners: The Lost Art of Handwritten Thank You Notes appeared first on EcoSalon.