Thursday, January 23, 2014

Hand-Written Notes

The beauty of a hand-written thank you note has been lost and I think that is so sad.

Please tell me you all write notes.  Mama always taught me that it was essential and she is right!

Let me tell you, if I can write 300 thank you notes for our wedding festivities, you can write 5-10 for gifts you got for your birthday or Christmas.  Or you can write one for someone having you over for dinner.  Or you can write one to someone who had a birth or death in the family.  Or you can write a note to someone, just because.  Or you can write them to business associates who gave you something at Christmas.

Do it!  No excuse.

My favorite go-to place for stationery (yes StationEry has an E in it!), is American Stationery.  These are my favorite cards to get because you can completely personalize them anyway you want.  For our wedding, I got an emerald/teal monogram to match our colors.  I recently just got some pink and peach ones.  You can choose white or cream paper, any color monogram and any size.

I also use enclosure cards to give with gifts - shower gifts, baby gifts, hostess gifts and housewarming gifts.  You don't have to spend $3 on a card for every occasion.  Just stick a little personalized enclosure card in.  

My most exciting stationery these days is my formal "correspondent of the household" stationery.  It's for more formal recipients or when I'm writing a note from Kevin and I both.  I won't share a picture of it but it's a fold over ivory card with my formal name on the front in a perfect black script "Mrs. Kevin middlename lastname"  And remember, never sign your husband/boyfriend/fiance's name...instead write something in the body of the note like, "Kevin and I enjoyed being at your home..." and only sign your name.  Afterall, you're the one writing the note.  

I could go on and on about thank you note writing.  Just follow etiquette and write them correctly.  Mom always got on me to take my time.  And I now at 31 years old agree with her.  You can tell when people don't spend time on them.  And I'm guilty of this too.  I'm not a perfect thank you note writer and I know it.  But I do always try.  

So write your thank you notes ladies!!!

10 comments:

  1. I need to have Nate read this - he once got so upset with me for not signing his name on thank you notes and I just kept telling him I'm the one writing them!! Love this post...

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  2. I am a huge believer in thank you notes and I have my mom to thank for that. A boy gave me a box of chocolates in the 3rd grade and she made me write him a thank you note. I was so embarrassed at the time, but looking back, I'm glad she taught me how important it was. I ALWAYS make Cameron sign his name instead of signing it for him, as well. It's much more personal. Great post! :)

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  3. I'm a huge fan of thank you notes and I still do them, even though it seems like it's a dying practice! Thanks for the tip about never signing your partner's name. I actually always sign my husbands, but I won't in the future now that I know better!

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  4. I totally agree! I'm still a few thank you notes behind on baby shower gifts, but I'm nearly done, and I think it is so important to send them too!

    I love English Tea Paperie for my notecards!

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  5. I lovvvve sending handwritten notes! Love the monogrammed cards!

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  6. I completely agree as I grew up the same way. Though recently I have not been the best at writing notes when I should. This has reminded me of my manners! And thanks for sharing your stationary store.

    -Kerry

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  7. It irks me SO much when people spell stationery with an a: stationary!

    I always hand write thank you notes, though I need to work on being more prompt about it. I just sent my Christmas notes this week...

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  8. LOVE this post!!! My mom never buys cards - she does exactly what you do and uses a monogrammed note card! I don't understand why others don't do the same!!

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  9. Handwritten notes really are a lost art. I always try to send them out (and love receiving them). My favorite place to buy stationery is paper source. I love the color choices they have and eventually want to get an embosser from them. The only downside, for me, is the shipping. Maybe it's not that bad, but to me, $20 for shipping seems like lot.

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  10. I love handwriting notes. I love the monogramed cards and I might have to get some. I just buy blank cards in pretty colors or patterns and the note card style ones and use those for everything!

    My friends all comment when they get birthday cards in the mail from me because it is so rare!

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