You are never to old or too young to tell someone thank you. A quick text or Facebook message is better than nothing, but a handwritten note says so much more. One of my favorite things about Christmas is sending and receiving thank you notes. I know that someone spent time shopping for what they I would like and I love telling them that I appreciate the gift and thought it was perfect! I also love hearing that myself.
Research shows that children who express gratitude report less envy, materialism, and depression, as well as better grades and relationships.
So now that the holiday celebrations have come to an end and all the gifts have been opened, take an hour or two to sit down with your child to create and send some heartfelt thank you notes. Make it a fun afternoon activity by pulling out the craft supplies (paper, crayons, glue, etc.) for creating unique cards and some snacks. That way the practice of writing thank you notes becomes an event that your kids will look forward to each year!
Here are a few additional tips to help you through the process:
Acknowledge what you love most about the gift. Talk to your child before she begins to write her note and help her to craft a message that lets the gift giver know what was so special. Examples include: “Dear Aunt Polly, Thank you for the new sweater. Green is my favorite color and I can’t wait to wear it!” or “Dear Grandpa, Thank you for the gift card. I have been saving up for a new video game and this will help me to buy it soon!”
“Nice” is key! Even if it’s a gift that your child was less than thrilled about, help him to develop authentic gratitude and sincerity and to write a note that reflects that.
H – Handwritten. Although technology has given us many ways to say thanks, nothing beats a good, old-fashioned handwritten thank you note. Tailor your level of involvement to your child’s age and ability. Older children can write their own. Younger kids can draw pictures or dictate their message while you write.
A – Artistic. Pull out the crayons, glue and glitter and craft up a few of your own thank you notes instead of buying them. This will add to the enjoyment of the activity and allow your kids to make each note even more personal.
N – Now … and later. We already talked about timing – writing notes as soon as possible after a gift was received, but you might also want to consider having your kids write ANOTHER note at a later time. Include a picture of the gift in use with a quick note. Something like “Remember the umbrella you gave me for Christmas? It rained today and I finally got to use it! Here’s a picture for you to see.”
K – Kid’s voice. Use your child’s own words! Ask them questions about what they loved most about the gift and help them incorporate those thoughts into the note.
S – Short and Sweet. Thank you messages don't need to be long. Just a few sentences that express sincere gratitude mean the world to the gift giver.
I am so glad that my mother instilled in me from an early age the practice of expressing gratitude and writing notes of appreciation to others. If you are looking for a positive new habit to adopt this year, I encourage you to consider taking up this one. It will make everyone's lives a little bit happier!
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