Let's Talk Manners

One of my biggest pet peeves is people who don't send thank you notes. I am not talking getting a little pissed, I am talking I WANT TO RIP THEIR F*****G HEADS OFF! Where did this tirade of mine come from all of a sudden? We FINALLY received a thank you from one of The Nieces for the wedding gift we sent--for their SEPTEMBER wedding! Granted, I actually GOT a thank you, but why so late? And, no, it is NOT true that you have an entire year after getting married in which to send out the notes. The rule of 'as fast as possible' still applies to wedding 'thank yous' as well as any others.

While I was growing up, I had to call everyone who sent me a birthday card with money. (Gifts were few and far between for the birthday.) At Christmas, I had to call everyone who gave me a gift. This was the rule, this I had to obey. (I think The Mother didn't make me WRITE thank you notes because it cost money to buy them and then to send them. My opinion.) Whatever way it was done, I was EXPECTED to acknowledge a gift and thank for it--even the $1 bill one of my VERY cheap aunts always sent.

From the time my girls were old enough to hold a pencil, they 'wrote' thank you notes. Granted, the first ones were ones I wrote and they scribbled their 'names' on. Then, I wrote the notes and they actually signed them. The next step: I wrote out a sample note which they then copied in their own handwriting. And, finally, they were on their own to write the notes by themselves. To this day, they continue to write thank you notes for gifts they receive--and quite beautiful ones, I have been told. (They are very hit-and-miss when it comes to sending notes to me. I have accepted this as long as they remember to send to everyone else.)

The Brother and his family hardly ever send thank you notes. I am still waiting for thank yous from his three oldest daughters for their graduation gifts--as well as YEARS of other gifts we have given that family. These graduations were in 2001, 2003, and 2004 (or '05)--I don't think they will be coming. Their youngest--our goddaughter--gets a note out to us once every few years. No note this year for the Christmas OR birthday gifts. (Last year, I sent a check for her birthday and it never was even CASHED!) I have always wondered WHAT the hell is wrong with The Brother and his wife and I still do to this day. They are such social SLOBS.

The way I look at it: if someone spends the amount of time to pick out a gift for you, spend their money, and get it to you, you have an OBLIGATION to spend three minutes writing a thank you note. Why aren't people being taught this very simple social grace?