Thank You Cards for Gifts Received in Person

My vote is to send thank you cards. I have a 2 1/2 yr old, & after I write the thank you, I have her "write" something too with her crayons. Eventually, she will write her own. :)

I'm a big believer in thank you cards. but for Christmas, my own personal 'general rule' is that I send a thank you note to anyone who bought my child a gift and did not receive one back from us for themselves or a child in their family. For example, my parent's neighbors sent my daughter a gift and I sent a thank you because we did not give a gift to them or any child in their immediate family.

We send thank-you cards to everyone that bought our child a gift whether or not we bought for them. We send to people who gave their gifts in person too. I also make sure to send a nice thank you to anyone who hosted us, such as my aunt who had dinner at her house on xmas eve. So much work goes into planning a big holiday dinner! Personally, I think thank-you cards are an easy way to be thoughtful. You definitely can't go wrong in sending them, I think it would be hard to make a thank-you redundant =)Just my 2 cents.

Send the card, it will teach your kids proper etiquette which is so lacking in today's society. My ex-sister-in-law did not teach her son the simple manner of saying thank you for a gift and it really used to tick me off! He was 9 years old!

We are going to sit down today and write Thank Yous to everyone who gave us gifts. Even mommy and papa are writing our Thank You's! We probably have a couple dozen to do, so this may take a few weeks, but I think it is important for kids to thank every person who gave them a gift, even teachers, therapists, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. We will go fetch the gift, look at it, and think of something special to say about it. If it is cash, we'll ask the kids what they might like to do with cash, like buy an ice cream cone, see a movie or buy stamps to write to their pen pals.

Since your son is so young, you could write the note, perhaps he can dictate something he likes about the toy, and then color on the card or put some stickers on it.

Pace yourself so it will be more fun than work for everyone involved. He can then put the stamps on the envelopes (with your guidance- or he may put a dozen on one, happened here!! That was a VERY expensive letter to send across town!! ha!)

Hi K. J
My Daughter also recieved many gifts. not only from family and friends but my clients, most of which handed them to her and she of course said a verbal thank-you, I believe any gift recieved should have a written thank-you. Someone took the time, money and effort to buy your child a gift. I beleive that warrants a written thank-you. Many people say no need to write a thank-you when handing her the gifts however I just think it is appropriate. Believe me my 5 year old is very tired of writing thank-yous, I explain to her when someone gives you a gift you need to express your thankfulness. we do 3 or 4 a day, some we may draw a picture for and write thank-you on the back, we always acknowledge what was given, if it was money we write what she would like to buy with it or if she wants to put it in the bank to save. Hopefully by New Years she will be done.
Hope this helps. I'm interested in reading some of the other posts.
Happy New ear
V.

I am very big on thank you notes and they really need to be sent even if you receive the gift in person. If someone took the time, money, effort to get my children or me a gift, it is necessary to let that person know that you appreciate their thoughtfulness.

I honestly believe this world would be a better place if we took time to be a little nicer to each other and let the people closest to us know how much we appreciate them. Please take the time to teach your children this little life lesson of writing thank you notes.

My kids are younger too, and I am trying to install the need to write thank you's. At this point, the actual writing isn't possible so we opt for colored pictures. Even if the gift was received in person, I've found our family and friends like getting a drawing as their thank you.

K., The rule of etiquette is that if someone gives a gift to you for any reason a thank you note is in good taste. Regardless of whether it was mailed or handed to you and whether you gave a gift to them or not. The note is to "thank them" for the gift they gave your child. It is just good manners to do this. And something that instilled now will hold them in good stead later in life.

I feel the cards aren't necessary for those you also gave gifts to, which are probably the regular folks you exchange with, like the grandparents, few immediate aunts, and cousins. Now, our neighbor and two adults from my work who don't have kids gave me presents to give my two year old. I feel they went extremely out of their way to buy, wrap and give a gift for my little guy, that I want to show as much appreciation as effort they put into. We will make those people thank you cards with markers and construction paper, and I took a picture on my phone with our son playing with the items to show the ladies at work. Again, I feel if somebody went out of their way to be sweet and buy my son a gift, then they should receive a bigger thank you than just in person. We went to my aunt's house for Christmas with our immediate family and nobody there sends a thank you, we just all say thank you and give hugs and show our appreciation when we open the gift. Merry Christmas!!

Hi K. I don't it's nesscesary to send a thank you card since you expressed your graitude in person.

Thank you cards are not required, but I think they are appreciated. I would suggest sending them for your kids - it's a good example to set.

Yes, it's very proper to send a thank you note in the mail, always. As a mom late in life I gave many gifts small and large to my friends and family children and appreciated their time and effort to send a proper thank you in the mail. As a mom now of a 4 year old daughter we write out our thank you notes together as she can now add her own touch to the note.

Hope this helps :) - M.

We send thank yous for all gifts, whether or not received in person. We feel that if someone went out of their way to purchase and wrap a gift with us in mind, we can invest a few minutes in writing or drawing a thank you. Everyone loves to receive "real meal" vs. junk and bills.

We always send thank you notes here. I think it is important even if we exchange gifts with the people that we are sending them to.

I try always to send a thank you to anyone who has given my child or me a gift. I think the person to whom you sent it to appreciates it. When I send a thank you card for a gift my child recieves I try to send a picture of him with the clothes on, him playing with the toy, or opening the gift. That's just the added bonus that I include, because a lot of the gift givers are not close by.

K.