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Stationery for Young Adults

When you scour the advice columnists such as Ask Amy or Miss Manners, it seems like one out of every ten questions is a frustrated query from an auntie or grandmother about why the young people in their lives won’t write thank you notes.

It seems to be a widespread problem, and where there’s a problem, there are solutions. If you have young adults in your life who do not express gratitude for the gifts you give them and the things you do for them, then maybe they need some tools. We’ve put together this brief guide to help you.

The Tools of Gratitude

The tools of gratitude are simple and easy to gather: 1. Give them their own stationery. 2. Model for them how to write a proper thank you note.

Giving stationery to member of Generation Z — those who are currently in their late teens or early twenties — may seem counterintuitive: They use their phones for everything right? Snapchat and Instagram and texting are their primary mode of communication. Even email seems hopelessly old-fashioned to the average 20-year-old.

We can all agree that a young person’s first instinct after a birthday party or receiving a beautiful gift in the mail is not to run to the store and buy a package of thank you notes.

So you can do this for them. Create a thank you note toolkit of sorts: a set of beautifully personalized thank you notes, a book of colorful stamps, a smooth-writing pen, and a print-out or digital file of the family addresses they can program into their phone.

Now that young person has the writing tools. We’re almost there…

Go a step further and model for them how to write a thank you note. The rhythm and structure is simple, as you know, being a regular thank you note writer, of course!

Here is collection of blogs we’ve written that explain how easy it is. They cover all the bases, ranging from writing thank you notes for birthdays, weddings, teachers and business occasions. You can send them that link, or you can sit with them in person or over the phone and go over the basics — salutation, name the gift, how you’ll use or enjoy it, hope for a future meeting, close.

Lack of Handwriting Skills?

One barrier you won’t be able to help them with is that many young people may not have learned to properly write in cursive. If they print the thank you note, or render it in a mixture of printing and cursive, who is to judge? Nothing’s perfect in this life, and if it’s the difference between sending a thank you note and not sending one, I’ll take the printed or badly scrawled thank you note any day of the week.

Stationery Choices for Young Adults

Thank you note styles for young adults and Gen Z.

Let’s say this first: there is no right or wrong choices for personalized stationery. Some young adults are working in fields, such as the law or the corporate world, where a formal monogram or their name in plain block letters at the top of a folded note would be perfect.

Classic Frame Note from Gifts In 24.

Other young people might love that very same stationery simply for its classic feel. Still others might prefer stationery with a more youthful attitude.

Thank you notes for young adults.

Ultimately, the stationery you choose to give them depends on their personal taste.

You can also simply give them the link to the Gifts In 24 website and let them choose. Good luck and thank you for helping the world be a little kinder and gentler.

How to Write Sympathy Thank You Cards

What is the etiquette for acknowledging sympathy? In the aftermath of the loss of a loved one, there is a lot to do: gather belongings; plan a funeral, burial or other memorial; settle the estate; attend to health bills and other paperwork; and most of all….grieve. Others around you may express kindness and sympathy toward you. These outpourings of love and concern — through sending flowers, attending a service, mailing sympathy cards and other acts of kindness — may help soften the grief a bit. What are the best ways to respond to these tender outpourings of solidarity and love? Here are the Dos and Don’ts for writing sympathy thank you notes.

Do keep track of who sent what

If someone sent flowers, write a description of them on the accompanying card and keep those in a centralized location — even a shoebox or paper bag will do — so you don’t lose track of them in the whirl of paperwork. In the same way, place sympathy cards, inside their envelopes with the return address, in a similar receptacle. If you like, write on the envelopes whether there is an extensive, personal letter that should be responded to later.

Don’t feel obliged to respond right away

Give yourself time to grieve. You can respond in several weeks or months.

Sympathy Notes from Gifts in 24.

Do order pre-printed cards if you need to respond to many people

If the sympathy notes are pouring in by the dozens or hundreds, it’s entirely appropriate to order acknowlegement stationery, as you see in the samples in this blog. Typically, these are folded notes, inside of which you should sign your name. According to Peggy Post, author of Emily Post’s Etiquette, to those sending extensive letters, or those who are close to the family or loved one, or who have sent mass cards, flowers or other tokens, do write a few lines or more acknowleding their kindness, along with your signature.

Don’t hand write a message to everyone

But not everyone needs to receive a handwritten message inside the card, according to Post. For those who are not particularly close to the family or deceased and simply signed their names in a commercial sympathy card, it’s entirely appropriate to simply sign your name in the acknowledgment card.

Sympathy note from Gifts in 24

Do be specific in your sympathy thank you note

Thank them for the flowers, helping with the ceremony, sharing a beautiful memory, etc. In other words, be specific. You can be direct and brief, but the specificity is important: “Thank you for the beautiful flowers.” “Thank you for the wonderful stories you shared in your card.”

Sympathy note from Gifts in 24

See our collection of pre-printed sympathy thank you cards. Printed on double-thick paper with precision printing techniques, they are a step above what you can typically find through a funeral home.

Celebrate Letter Writing Week

Stationery and a cup of tea on a desk
Celebrate Letter Writing Week January 7-14.

Happy Letter Writing Week! We’re plugged in 24/7. We’re Instagramming, Lyfting, streaming and texting. Spending one week celebrating pen and ink — and perhaps even unplugging — feels like an extremely wonderful idea!

Slowing down and enjoying the pleasures of writing our thoughts to our dearest and closest friends and family may seem quaint, but letter writing can also be powerful. First, reaching out to others can strengthen our sense of community. Second, it can help us to unplug for an hour or two. Researchers tell us our screen culture increases our anxiety, cuts us off from one another and in some ways is more addictive than crack cocaine. Third, and let’s be honest here, letter writing gives us a chance to show off our beautiful stationery. Sure, we can use notebook paper or email, but where’s the fun in that?

I love the smooth feel of the stationery, the raised impression of the embossing or thermography, and crisp sounds of the paper rustling. It’s a total sensory experience, and those sensations are some of the pleasures of letter writing.

Letter Writing Tools

Currently, my stationery wardrobe features two main pieces:

Henley Monogram Wardrobe. Mine is embossed on ivory paper with opal linings inside the envelopes. It’s a classic combination and has the added benefit of being compostable and eco-friendly. I love the traditional letter sheets, enclosures (which I can use for just about any occasion) and folded notes. It’s such a treat to open my box and decide which paper to pull out.

Henley Monogram Wardrobe from Giftsin24.com

Luna Card. I just received this stationery in the mail, and what a pleasure it was to open! The Luna Card features a beautiful new lettering style, which I ordered in silver raised ink on crisp white paper. It’s so pretty and feminine, but with a modern take, so it doesn’t feel old-fashioned.

Luna Card from Giftsin24.com

So as you go through your contacts and decide whom to write during Letter Writing Week, put some thought into how the paper feels between your fingers, how the design enhances your experience. And if you feel the need to order new stationery, we have a wonderful selection of notes, cards and letter sheets, as well as new stationery to try.

What to Say in a Business Thank-you Note

Face-to-face time can feel like a luxury in our plugged-in, 24/7, global work environment. Many of us work virtually in a way that embodies the modern, global, tech-fueled workforce. So when we take the time to attend a networking event, take a client out to lunch or hold a brainstorming meeting, how can we use those in-person events to forge stronger working relationships? One way is to acknowledge the other person’s time with a business thank-you note. It may sound quaint, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to follow up with work colleagues and let them know that we value their efforts.

Writing an effective business thank-you note doesn't take long, but it can pay off in stronger working relationships.

Here are some tips and tricks for writing a business thank-you note for just about any work meeting or event.

A job interview

No matter if you walked away loving the job even more, or if you’ve concluded it’s not for you, thank the person who interviewed you for their time. Let them know you enjoyed the conversation and learned a lot — perhaps list one or two things: “I enjoyed learning about the new editorial process you’re planning.” If you want the job, this is also a chance to reiterate one or two reasons why the job is a terrific match for your skills. Close strongly by telling them you really want it.

A productive meeting

Always be sure to write up minutes, highlights or action lists so that the meeting team’s work can be captured and shared, and that any action items get assigned and followed up on. When sending that summary, thank attendees for their time and for sharing their insights. Remind the attendees of the ultimate goal of the project and let them know their work will help achieve it.

A business lunch

If you’re the client, and your vendor took you out to lunch, write a brief thank-you note: “Thanks again, Elaine, for lunch. We made a lot of headway. I think your work will help us meet our deadline.”

Learn how to write an effective business thank-you note for just about any event or occasion.

A networking event

Networking events and mixers can sometimes bring you home with a pocket full of business cards and lots of new energy and ideas. It’s not necessary to thank speakers and panelists (unless you actually organized the event), unless you specifically would like to connect with them on a business idea or to continue the conversation. As to the other attendees, look back at the evening and think about who you’d like to stay in touch with. Inviting them to connect via LinkedIn is very effective. Or try a quick email, or a folded note with your business card tucked in. “It was so fun getting to know you at the Chamber of Commerce event Tuesday evening. Good luck with your business expansion. Here’s that PR firm I mentioned to you. I’ve had good results with them. I’d love to take you up on the offer to grab some coffee in the next month to brainstorm branding ideas for my new company. Let’s make a date soon.”

A business referral

Did someone refer a new client or customer to you? That’s pure gold. Don’t hesitate to write a thank-you note. Word of mouth marketing is powerful, indeed. Your prompt and warm acknowledgment may help encourage more future referrals as well.

End-of-year holidays

The end of the year is the perfect time to thank people — coworkers, clients, bosses and other work colleagues — for a rewarding and successful year together. A simple “Thank you for a wonderful year — we hit it out of the park,” can do wonders. If you want to get specific and point to certain achievements or projects the person worked on that caught your notice, that’s effective too.

Learn how to write a business thank-you note.

For some of these situations, an email or text might be sufficient. But if you really want to knock their socks off, use beautifully crafted business stationery, with your name, title, company and address. Here are two of our favorites.

Your Logo Folding Note – Raised Ink. Print your company logo, personal artwork or design in one of our 11 raised ink colors. A classic look featuring your design on thick, folded notes and color-matched envelopes

Your Logo Knightsbridge Frame Note – Embossed. Boost your professional image with an elegant embossed border on double-thick paper at a price that fits your budget. Choose an optional return address or hand-inserted envelope lining paper to create impressive stationery.

How To Send The Perfect Handwritten Thank You Note

Thank you notes have long been part of standard etiquette, yet they are going out of style in our modern world. Make no mistake: it’s as important as ever to acknowledge someone’s kindness with a thank you note. Handwritten notes are still best, especially since they stand out in a time of digital communication.

Setting aside time to write a thank you note can be an enjoyable part of your day.

The Importance of Handwritten Notes

A handwritten thank you note lets the recipient know that you took the time to focus on him or her. You went to the effort of finding stationery, sitting down and writing a note by hand, and then placing the note in the envelope and writing the address. It takes a lot more time and effort to do this by hand than to quickly send a text, voicemail or email. You also personalize the note by having it in your handwriting rather than sending impersonal typed fonts.

When to Send a Thank You Note

Certain occasions call for thank you notes. Handwritten thank you notes provide an ideal way to thank someone after he or she gives you a gift — whether it’s for your birthday, a holiday, a baby shower or any occasion. You can also send one after you attend an event, as a way to thank someone for contributing to your charitable cause or to acknowledge a professional for giving you a job interview. These are only examples, as you can give a thank you note as a response to any act of kindness or as a courtesy.

Enjoy a cup of tea while writing a thank you note
Enjoy a cup of tea while writing a thank you note. It’s a beautiful ritual.

How to Write an Effective Thank You Note

Use these tips to create your personalized card:

  • Start with the correct greeting. Make sure you spell the person’s name correctly. Determine whether you can write a casual or formal greeting depending on the person and reason you are addressing.
  • Immediately thank the person and acknowledge why you’re sending a thank you note. For example, write, “Thank you so much for the birthday gift” or “I appreciate that you took the time to interview me for the position.” If it has been longer than a month since you received the gift or attended the event, include a simple apology for the lateness. A thank you for a job interview should be sent immediately.
  • Include details in your note. Personalize the note by listing the gifts, explaining why you’re thankful and/or describing how you will use the gift. For example, you could write, “I really wanted that book and am so thankful you got it for me!” or “I’m excited to use your gift card to get the pair of earrings I was hoping for.”
  • End the note politely, adjusting it to how formal or informal it can be. Add a closing line talking about the future, such as how you look forward to touching base with the person again. Thank the person a final time. Then, end the note with your favorite phrase of regards such as, “Sincerely” or “With much love.”

Follow the above tips to send the perfect handwritten thank you note. Anytime you want to acknowledge someone for his or her action or thoughtfulness, writing a note will add a personal touch to show your appreciation.

Discover our collection of personalized thank you notes.

Easy & Efficient Wedding Thank You Cards & Templates

For some people, writing wedding thank you cards feels intimidating. Especially if you have a large wedding with lots of guests, the task of writing dozens or even hundreds of thank you notes can Freak. You. Out.

It’s easy to procrastinate. There are several steps: Choosing the right stationery. Locating mailing addresses. Buying the stamps. Crafting the perfect message of gratitude to everyone.  Any one of these can trip you up. But it’s that last step, writing a warm and gracious message, that seems the most difficult.

We know you feel gratitude in your heart. That is not up for debate. It’s the worry that you won’t be able to express your gratitude in an eloquent and mindful way that’s stopping you. Plus, your handwriting! Will anyone be able to read it? It can feel like a lot of pressure.

Wedding thank you notes

Rosedale Monogram Note features your couple’s monogram and your name.

We feel you! And we are also here to say that with a bit of planning and an easy template to follow, you can crank out those wedding thank you cards in no time. Here is the who, what, when and how of thank you card writing etiquette, plus templates for writing the most common types of messages.

Who

Be sure to thank …

  • Guests who came to your wedding, including parents who helped pay for the wedding and your wedding party.
  • People who gave you a gift (If you received a group gift from people who don’t live with one another, write separate wedding thank you cards to each person in the group)
  • Anyone who helped with the wedding planning or day-of festivities
  • Wedding planners and vendors

What

Be sure to write…

  • An acknowledgement of their presence or absence at the wedding
  • What you intend to do with or how you will enjoy the gift
  • A warm sentence of gratitude for their friendship and love
  • Most importantly, don’t have to reinvent the wheel with your wedding thank you cards, especially if you have hundreds to write. If you come up with a nice turn of phrase that you like (“Sheila and I so appreciate the generous check you sent, and we look forward to using it as a down payment on our home.”), then by all means, reuse it. The most important thing is to convey sincere gratitude and warmth.
  • See our sample wedding thank you note templates below.

When

Be sure to send it…

  • Optimally, within 2 weeks after receiving a gift. If you receive gifts before the wedding, it’s fine to send thank you notes before the event.
  • At most, within 3 months of the wedding.

How

Be sure to get the right tools…

  • Keep a detailed gift log that lists the gift, giver, date received and whether you’ve sent the thank you note. This will help tremendously in sending out thank you notes.
  • Use a nice pen that flows easily and doesn’t smear or leak. Give the pen a practice run before you write.
  • Folded notes are perfect for wedding thank you cards. The style doesn’t have to be an exact match of your invitations, but can reflect their general flavor. Write on the inside bottom section of a folded note, and if you need more space, move to the inside top.
Impression Note from Gifts In 24

Impression Oversized Note ships in 1 business day.

Many Giftsin24 folded notes can accommodate more than one name. Here are some of our favorites:

Colonial Note    A crowd favorite, the Colonial Note offers a choice of lettering style and ink color, plus two borders that give it distinction.

Infinity Note   This folded note offers an elegant gold foil design and several lettering styles that can appeal to both of you.

One-Line Note  Offering a cool, “Mad men” vibe, this embossed note channels a Mid-Century Modern feel.

Montevideo Note  Impress your family and friends with this exuberantly styled lettering style in a choice of raised-ink color.

Impression Note  This is our go-to couple’s note, offering plenty of room for two names in raised ink on the front and lots of room to write inside of this oversized folded note.

La Tour Note Couples with room in their budgets can splurge on luxury notes from our Silver Leaf Collection. La Tour features an elegant gold edge with rounded corners.

Templates for Wedding Thank You Cards

For a wedding guest who gave a gift:

Dear Melanie, Thank you so much for attending our wedding! We were so happy to be able to connect with you and be surrounded by all our friends and family on this most special day. Your gift was so very generous! Anthony and I will put it to great use as part of the down payment on our condo. With great appreciation and love, Sam and Esperanza

For a person who gave a gift but did not attend the wedding:

Dear Uncle Van, We missed you at the wedding, but completely understand that it’s a long ways to travel. Thank you so much for your very generous gift of the bread maker. It was so sweet of you to think of us on our special day. Every time we make fresh homemade bread, we will think of you! We love you, Susan and Todd

For a person that attended the wedding but did not give a gift:

Dear Aunt Martha, Thank you so much for coming all the way from California to be at our wedding. It meant so much that you were there to be with us on this most special day! Our family reunion photo wouldn’t have been the same without you. We’ve enclosed a photo of you dancing with Dad — you can tell you are brother and sister because you have the same dance moves! With great love, Melanie and Reggie

Looking for more wedding thank you note card ideas? See all of our beautiful folded notes here.

Luxury wedding thank you notes from giftsin24.com
Silver Leaf Luxury Collection, clockwise from top left: Juniper Note, La Tour Note, Bel Amour Note & Hawthorn Note.

Writing Tip: Affect vs. Effect

Affect versus effect: what's the differenceWhat’s the difference between the words “Affect” and “Effect”? Have you ever scurried to the dictionary to find out while writing a letter, email, resume, job interview thank you, etc.?

The Answer Is…

“Affect” is generally used as a verb: it means to influence or have an impact on, or to move, touch or make an impression on.

“Going without my morning cup of coffee affects my energy level for the rest of the day.”

“That compelling movie really affected me.”

On the other hand, we usually use the word “Effect”as a noun: it means a consequence or result of some cause.

“Your effect on me is electric.”

The upshot? When pondering which word to use — Affect or Effect — try to remember this nmemonic:

The cause creates THE E-ffect.

Remember that long E sound of the, leading into the long E sound of effect. “Effect” is a noun.

And then from there, you can remember that “Affect” is a verb.

Editor’s Note: Of course, when we’re talking grammar, there are always exceptions to the rules.  We list them here only because they’re interesting, but you don’t need to remember these, because they are very rarely used. There are some very rare occasions when we use “Affect” as a noun, but it is usually in the jargon/language of psychology and not in general conversation.  By the same token, you can sometimes use “Effect” as a verb, but it can sound stilted and not very conversational, so we usually avoid this use: “We effected change by following five key steps.”

Thank a Teacher, Teach a Thanker

Writing tips for teacher thank you notes

It’s that time of year to thank the teachers in your life, whether you’re 2 or 92.

Everyone has a teacher to thank, whether you’re 2 or 92. If you’re learning how to read, trying to code a video game, or are working on your guitar fingering, teachers are right there along with you, guiding you, cheering you on and encouraging you to work through mistakes.

One of the best ways to acknowledge a teacher’s value in your life is by writing him or her a thank you note, according to the National PTA. And writing a thank you note to a teacher is one of the best ways to teach a child how to show gratitude. Here are 3 tips to writing the perfect thank you note to a teacher.

Three Writing Tips

1. Be thankful. This is a thank you note, and so say it ! “Thank you for all your hard work with me this year.” “Thank you for helping me be the best I can be.” You get the picture.

2. Be specific. If you can point to a specific example or time that the teacher helped you, you’ll make the note become more personal and all the more treasured.  “I am so relieved that I know fractions now.” “The way you encouraged me to work on my fingering has given me more confidence than I ever imagined I could have.”

3. Be expansive. Teachers have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place. Wax poetic about their importance to you, your school or the world at large. You can never compliment a teacher too much.

3 Wedding Thank You ‘Donts’ You Need to Know

Impression Notes from Giftsin24.com make beautiful wedding thank you notes

Impression Notes in black ink on crisp white paper are the perfect canvas on which to express your gratitude.

Wedding season is upon us. Are you ready to write your wedding thank you notes? Don’t fall flat in conveying your gratitude. Avoid these common mistakes, and you’ll be sitting pretty.

Mistake #1 Sending out wedding thank you notes too late.

Do you remember what you did one year ago? Not many other people do either. So be sure that Uncle Marty gets that thank you note pronto, or at least within three months of the wedding.

Mistake #2 Writing a plain vanilla message.

Was your wedding a bore? Is your marriage lacking pizzazz? No way! So why should your thank you notes not reflect that same passion for the giver and the gift. Avoid general statements like: “Thank you for your generous gift.” Snore. Share your excitement with the giver about specific ways you’ll use the gift.

Mistake #3 Sending an e-card.

Yes, we do live in a digital age…but if cousin Sue drove 100 miles to get to your shindig, bought a new dress and gave you a hand-made quilt, she deserves a heart-felt, handwritten note that conveys all your love and appreciation. Unless you had a virtual wedding, avoid virtual cards.

Writing Tips: Serial Comma Conundrum

Writing tips from giftsin24.com

When should you use a comma when listing nouns or verbs?

Recently at Giftsin24.com, a bunch of us were talking about whether or not to use the comma before the “and” when you write a sentence that includes a series of nouns or verbs. That’s called a “serial comma.”

For example, do you write “Melanie, Anthony and Esther went to the store.”?

Or “Melanie, Anthony, and Esther went to the store.”?

When it comes down to it, it’s a matter of style. There are many style manuals out there, but the two most used in publishing are the AP Manual of Style (used in journalism and newspapers) and The Chicago Manual of Style (used in book publishing).

Leave serial comma out unless there’s confusion

The AP Manual of Style does not recommend routinely using the extra comma before the “and.”

Exceptions where you might use it are in situations where the meaning would be confusing, such as this:

“Last week I cooked my favorite recipes: pepperoni pizza, orange chicken and wild rice and seared steak.”

Is the rice part of the chicken dish or the steak dish? Hmmm. In this case the writer should help readers out by using a comma before the “and.”

Keep things simply by being consistent

Because we live in an imperfect world, The Chicago Manual of Style encourages the consistent use of the comma before the “and.” You don’t have to think about it; simply always use it and there will never be confusion.

So there you have it: serial commas made easy. Pick your style and stick with it. You’ll never go wrong!