GALLERY

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A friend who recently got married could not send out thank-you cards because she received several gifts that were unsigned

THE ART of saying “thank you” is always relevant, but since we have just finished the gift-giving frenzy of the holiday season, and of course Chinese New Year, it is an opportune time to discuss gratitude.

The art of saying “thank you” seems to have disappeared. Try to be conscious today as you go about your tasks, and make a mental note to yourself each time you hear the words “thank you.” You may be surprised to not hear it as often as you expect. How many gifts received this last holiday season have you given thanks for?

We all grew up with the customary thank-you cards. It is always a pleasure to receive a handwritten thank-you note. Yet in this modern age, there are many other ways to say thank you besides the thank-you note. A simple phone call will suffice. This will be a great way to keep in touch with a friend or relative who has taken the time to send you a gift for the holidays.

A text message will work, as well. Simply saying “thanks for your thoughtfulness” will surely be appreciated by any recipient.

Even a Facebook message works.

In short, there are so many different ways to say thank you. It does not matter how; what matters is that you do.

Teach your children

This is also a practice I wish parents would teach their children. Maybe this can serve as a gentle nudge to have your children write, text or call their godparents who have given them Christmas gifts (it’s not yet too late).

This is simply going beyond being polite, but also instills the value of gratitude.

This is something people commonly overlook, not because they are impolite, but maybe because they are simply rushing. But remember, whenever you overlook something, and send something out, it says a lot about who you are to the other person.

For instance, there’s signing your name. Basic, yet a friend of mine who recently got married could not send out thank-you cards because she received several gifts that were unsigned. It happens.

Don’t forget to sign your thank-you cards, or be careful not to say thank you for the wrong gift—this is funny, but this has happened to me. Someone sent me a text thanking me for the cake I sent for Christmas, when, in fact, I had sent a bottle of wine.

Remember, what you do will always reflect who you are, so pay attention to details.

Going beyond gifts, the art of “thank you” can be integrated into our everyday lives, and this is where the miracles of positivism take place, going beyond etiquette.

Start a gratitude journal. Make a habit of being thankful for three normal and mundane things that happened in your life for the day. Keep a special notebook for this.

Bring the art of saying “thank you” back into your life, back into the every day. Recover the sense of gratitude. Not only is it the polite thing to do, but you will find you will also be a little happier every day.
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer