thank you etiquette

I am wondering if anyone has any creative ideas for thank you's to people who keep on giving. I had a baby shower and sent thank you cards to all those who showered me with gifts. Now I've had my twins and people created a meal train for me and bring me dinner to see the babies. Some people also bring the babies presents. I want to show appreciation but am exhausted with the babies and am wondering how many times I should send cards to those who keep giving? When does it end? I want to do what is right. Is there a better way to show thanks?

 

Know life is crazy with 2 newborns. I say if you have sent a thankyou card once, that should be enough. If someone different helps or brings something, I would send one, but I am sure if htey still are helping it is not just to get a card.

 

I say a thank you for a gift. I did not do a thank you card for a meal and it doesn't seem as though anyone expected one for that either. I agree with pp, one thank you card per person may be enough. Also, maybe you can keep a running list of gifts and write thank yous later. This way, if someone sends you several gifts, you can send one thank you a little down the road. HTH .

 

I wrote a thank you every time they did something. I thanked them for shower gifts and then the meals and gifts after the babies were born. I completely understand the exhaustion. I HATE writing thank yous but I always do them. I would rather just say "thank you" or send an email..etc but I always write them and mail them because I *think* that's the right thing to do.

 

I agree with Cynthia. It's a major pain in the backside to keep writing thank-you's but I feel like since I'm in such a whirlwind on my own that I don't remember verbally to say anything sometimes- so the minute to write it out ends up meaning a whole lot to the person who receives it. I did have a few repeat to the zillioneth degree givers- for them I ended up sending one that said something like "I'll never be able to say thank you enough" or something funny like "I'll run out of thank you cards because of all you've done and are doing for me" something along those lines- usually the many repeaters are friends and friends really don't expect tons of thank you's. I even had some people explicitly state that a thank you wasn't necessary-- to them I'd give a verbal thank you or just a quick "thank you" in an email.

The only way I managed to keep up (not that I didn't miss some, which made me feel awful when I realized it) was to keep a list per week- and at the end of the week I'd write them up for that week & distribute them-- I didn't let myself get more than a week behind or I'd reallllly get behind (in fact there's 2 people I've been meaning to give a thank you card to for weeks now and I feel terrible about it). In the end, I am grateful and I just want people to know that I know what a big deal it is to be so kind and generous- so that's why I do it.

good luck. besides, writing those notes adds wonder to our supermom mystique!

 

QUOTE(Cynthia3200 @ Jul 7 2008, 11:14 AM) [snapback]863977[/snapback]
I wrote a thank you every time they did something. I thanked them for shower gifts and then the meals and gifts after the babies were born. I completely understand the exhaustion. I HATE writing thank yous but I always do them. I would rather just say "thank you" or send an email..etc but I always write them and mail them because I *think* that's the right thing to do.


I did the same thing....and even went as far as to remember not to send the 'same' thank you card style to that person. Now I have a drawer full of about 10 different style of thank yous....exhausting!!!!!!

 

I usually don't give multiple cards for the same person. I would either call or send an e-thank you card or something. You are super busy w/ your newborns!!

 

Mind you I didn't know many people since I just moved here to Australia but I have "tried" to send a photo of the girls in the outfits they received from that person. I've become very behind at that so I wouldn't recommend it. You could have some pictures taken of the girls put them in an envelope say with 3 pictures in it all made up ahead of time. When they come over just write their name on the envelope and say " I have something for you" -- keep a good list nearby so you remember who you've given it to.

For special people take a picture of them with the babies and if you can find an online photo shop it will save you time going out to get them done.

good luck

 

I always send a thank you for each gift. For awhile after the girls were first born, I kept the thank yous right on my nightstand so I could do a batch each night.

 

I started with thank you's every single time. Then, some people started telling me that I didn't need to send thank you's. At some point a few weeks into it I started asking people if my personal and verbal thanks would suffice. Sometimes I sent an email that said "Hey, I'm pulling the 'twin' card and sending my thanks on email" (or in a phone call...you get the picture). Usually that would prompt the giver to tell me I didn't need to send anything.

It's a good problem to have - but frustrating none the less as most of us will agonize over cards not yet sent.