◇Afterbeinghostedasahouseguestforoneormorenights (unlessthehostessisacloserelativeorfriend).
◇Afterapartyhostedinyourhonor.
Inthefollowingsituations, athank-younoteisnotamust, butitwouldstillbeanicegesturetosendathank-younote.
◇Afterbeingaguestatadinnerparty.
◇Afterajobinterview (notrequired, butdefinitelyasmartidea).
◇Aftergivingthanksinpersontothegiverofbirthdaygifts.
◇Tothepeoplewhohelpedyououtwhenyouaresickorincapable, suchasbaby-sitting, preparingmeals, orrunningerrandsforyou.
◇Afterbeingpersonallyentertainedbyasalesman, whichisconsideredaspartofbusiness.
■TheDon’tsofThank-youNotes
Don’tdelayinsendingthemostnotes, exceptthetimingasfollows:
◇Thank-younotesforhospitalgiftsshouldbesentassoonasthepatientiswellenoughtosendthem, wheneverthatis.
◇, inconsiderationofthehoneymoon, itmakessensetosendnotesoutassoonasgiftsarereceived (weddinggiftsaregenerallysentbeforetheweddingdate).
’spartieswhereparentshandoutpre-writtenthank-you’swhenguestsleavetheparty, eventhoughthegiftshaven’, , butnotreceivingaspecificthank-younoteforthegift, -youisjustatickonthecheckingnoteonthepartylist, andconveysnosenseofpersonalappreciation.
Eventhoughmostthank-younotesshouldbesentoninformalstationery, thatdoesn’tmeanit’, .
Ifyoudon’tlikeagift, youdon’, “Thankyouforthethoughtful ______ (fillintheblank).IwillalwaysthinkofyouwheneverIuseit.”
■AddressingThank-YouNotes
Itistheone(s) , , andthesalutationmightbe “DearAliceandJohn”.It’snicetomakereferencetotheotherfamilymembersinthebodyofthenote, suchas “RemembertoextendmythanksandmisstoMayandSophia, andletthemknowhowmuchIamenjoyingthebook.”
, inthecaseofathank-younoteforajobinterview, thesalutationshouldread “” , athank-youforaweddinggiftreceivedfromfriendsofyourparentsshouldbeaddressedto “” unlessyougrewupcallingthembytheirfirstnames.
Whenwritingathank-younoteforhospitality, youcansimplyaddressittoyourhostess (assumingshe’sthepersonwhodidthework), butincludeathank-youtothehusbandinthetext: “PleaseletFrankknowhowmuchIappreciateyourgracioushospitalityandhisveryentertaininganecdotesoverdinner.”
