Whether it be for a celebration, or just out of the blue, it is always a good feeling to receive a gift. It could be a card with a $5 gift card inside, or a brand new Tiffany Bracelet; it's always the thought that counts. Gifts can make you feel loved, and remind you that people are thinking of you, so a thank you is always in order.
Thank yous can come in all different forms. Some people send texts, some send old school emails, and some just give a hug. Other people, like my family, send thank you cards.
Thank you cards are a staple from my mom. If you send her literally anything, you should be expecting a thank you card in the mail the next day. My sister, and I were raised the same way. Going out and getting a pack of thank you cards, or just making one on printer paper, my sister and I have sent many.
Now, yes they do take time and energy, but very small amounts. Keep in mind that the people who sent you the gift, went out of their way to get you a present and send it. The least you could do is send a thank you note. It shows that you actually care that they were thinking of you. You took the time to write a note and send it back, showing that you actually want to thank them. Just shooting them a text takes little to no effort, so sending an actual note proves you care.
Not only do the thank you notes get sent, they actually get read. The recipients of the thank you notes will most definitely read them, and may even keep it. It makes them feel good and reminds them of the gift that they sent you. When you received the gift, you felt all warm and fuzzy, and they feel the same way about your thank you note. Plus they make you feel good. You feel like you are returning the favor of them sending you the gift.
Thank you notes also set you apart. Writing actual thank you notes is a lost art, so barely any one actually makes their kids do it anymore. Kids need to know how to actually write a proper thank you note for their adult life, so they should really practice it as a kid; good habits start young. If kids all start learning how to write these thank yous, then maybe it will become ritual again, and it can be brought back into the norm.