Dear Jacquelyn,

I know that you’re supposed to send thank-you notes for birthday and other gifts throughout the year. I’d love to hear your thoughts regarding whether you should send thank-you notes for every single gift you receive at Christmastime.

Dear Reader,

It’s a grand and gracious act to consider sending each individual a thank-you note for a Christmas gift.

Sending individual thank-you notes is a wonderful idea, but it’s not necessary if you open a gift in front of someone and thank them in person.

If the gift-giver wasn’t present to see you open a gift, use this opportunity to thank them with a personal note.

If you decide to go the extra mile and send everyone a thank-you note, I think it’s a very courteous gesture.

These hand-written notes are important in showing gratitude and appreciation to those who took the time to think of you during the holidays. As a bonus, it makes the recipient feel good and lets the gift-giver know that you appreciate the gift. This is an excellent way to stretch out that feel-good holiday spirit.

It is important to remember that when you do send a thank-you note after the holiday, include a brief personal message the same way you would for a gift received during the year.

You can write something simple, like “Thank you so much for your thoughtful Christmas gift. I really appreciated it.”

The best Christmas gift thank-you is one that comes from the heart, written with gratitude. If you happen to have children around, this is a good time to teach them to express gratitude. Include them in the thank-you note writing.

Courtesy always makes people feel valued, which makes you feel good, too. There is no better time to show your appreciation than around the holidays.

Respectfully Yours,

Jacquelyn

Have a question? Email: jacquelyn@ptd.net. Jacquelyn Youst is owner of the Pennsylvania Academy of Protocol, specializing in etiquette training. She is on the board of directors of the National Civility Foundation.

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