i have an etiquette question of sorts to ask you bloggers (i really love this - asking a question once and getting tons of honest, respected answers/opinions from peers/friends/family...one of the many wonderful "pluses" to blogging)
ok, my mom taught me the art of the thank-you letter years upon years ago. we wrote them for everything - when friends family's would have us over for an extended period of time, for our bday presents, cmas presents, graduation, etc. it was the southernly way by which i was raised. you just do not NOT write a thank you letter.
well, something happened on or around december 29, 2007 and my thank-you writing skills, or better yet promptness/frequency with said thank-you's, have gone down the toilet.
now, with all good intentions, i write them. my problem is that i just never get around or remember to mail them. i get the letter written and sealed in an envelope in an admirably timely manner, but at that time dont have stamps or my address book so they go into hiding until one gregarious one-year-old digs them up as his new-found toy. then mommy becomes highly embarrassed and realizes what an ungrateful schmuck others probably see her as.
my question for you, dear bloggers and blog-readers, is this: when is it too late to send a thank you?? should i just address these twenty or so already written and stamped thank-you's from bennett's first bday and send them on? even though they say things like "happy early birthday will" (will's bday was january 15th) and such and the recipients may therefore find me slightly batty? should i place a disclaimer and apology on the outside of the thank-you saying something like: "sorry for my irresponsible thank-you-letter-sending-tardiness" or, should i write new ones and send them? or, gasp, should i just nix the whole thing? (sorry i just can't wrap my mind around the last option...this is something i realized last night while i tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep bc of my utter anti-emily-post-ness with this whole matter)
maybe im making a mountain out of a molehill, but - alas - it appears this is just the way this southern girl was raised, and i guess im just a victim of my raisin'.
(props thrown just then to one gretchen somebody-or-another who sings that ridiculous country song about red neck women. red neck woman i would think i am not, but then again i did just say i was a "victim of my raisin'." ill leave the final verdict up to you)
help and advice is greatly appreciated...and if you happen to be one of the probable recipients of said thank-yous, you should be getting something in the mail very soon. im just not sure as of now what form that something will be in...
*edited to add: thank you thank you sweet people! yes, that is exactly how i was taught - that it is never too late to send a thank you note, but i guess i will just have to write some sort of disclaimer on the envelope to apologize for all those "see you this weekend" (weekend now equalling last MONTH) comments within.
thanks guys!*
You are so funny! I have to admit that I do the same thing too. Since I have 90+ notes to write for all of Rose's beautiful gifts, I have been trying to do a few each day. And they pile up too! I am lucky to mail a big pile once a week but I still have a few very dated ones waiting to be addressed and stamped and sent on their merry way. I say go ahead and send them...you took the time to write them and its better late than never!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you are talking about with the late comments... Mine for the wedding were usually mailed out a month after they were written, and sometimes the comment would be "can't wait to see you this weekend!" Even if they are late, I agree with Jill, better late than never! Jonathan just wrote some thank you notes last night for bday presents he got, and his bday was Feb 1st. But at least they went out at some point. Plus people understand you are busy, especially with that cute one year old!
ReplyDeleteNatalie,
ReplyDeleteI am a religious follower of your blog even though i rarely comment. I've always been taught that it is NEVER too late to send a thank you note. When I do write them and then forget to mail them, I usually just write a little note on the envelope reminding my gracious friend or family member how flighty i can sometimes be. plus, i always find that getting mail that isn't bills is always fun - even if it's somewhat dated. :) hope all is well in mobile!
mol
i agree with everyone. its never too late--write a 'disclaimer' :)
ReplyDeleteI agree it is never too late. Also, a disclaimer on my part. If you or someone you know borught a gift to our wedding and did not get a thank you note, please let me know. We received 4 gifts without cards and I am always wondering who it could be!!
ReplyDeleteDouble ditto to what everyone else said. We got a bunch of christmas gifts from friends and family in Mobile (my grandparents friends can't help but send the children things) then received a bunch of gifts from Chambers. So I at one point sent 2 thanks you's at the same time for both christmas and "birth" day gifts b/c I forgot to send the first batch. I am sure everyone thinks I'm a nut!
ReplyDeleteumm have i ever told you i found about 100 of my wedding thank you notes when i pulled out my stationary to write a thank you note for a PREGNANCY gift??? you are way ahead of the game..just scratch out a little note on the envelope saying that B hid them and stick em in the mail!
ReplyDeletei agree with everyoine else and have done this before... write a short note o n the back of the envelope saying sorry the envelope was misplaced and lost, better late than never!!!
ReplyDeleteSend them!! I am the same way Nat - people uderstand...
ReplyDelete