Thank You

I've always been the person who has to write a thank-you note after someone gives me a gift or does something special. I've also always been under the impression that other people do this as well, but I've recently learned that's not always the case. For some reason I get a little upset when someone does not write me a thank you note, especially if I've gone out of my way to find a nice gift for them or have invited them to my home for a dinner or a party. I don't care if its hand written, an email or even a message on Facebook - its really the thought that counts. My mother raised me to believe and know that its always important to say thank you because if you don't people might not want to give you gifts anymore.

I've been to more than one wedding where I did not receive a thank you for a gift, and several bridal and baby showers. At least for those occasions it seems appropriate to send a thank you note. When you spend anywhere from 50 to 150 dollars on a gift, you expect a thank you note in return. I get a little bit mad when people expect you to buy them and their children lavish gifts and don't even bother to recognize the kind gesture. There have been several family members of mine who have been guilty of this, and other family members have stopped buying gifts for them and their children because they don't get a thank you in return. I'm considering doing the same thing.

Its especially irritating with someone who will soon be a part of my family. I'm not trying to play the game of "I got you something for your birthday, how come you got nothing for me" but with them its a little outrageous. They used birthday money for their child to buy things for themselves and expect lavish gifts for her on every holiday. For their kids first Christmas, they spent nearly $300 and wanted more gifts from everyone else in the family. I've stopped buying their kid expensive stuff because they don't appreciate it at all and never say thank you. I spent a lot of money on her baby shower gift and never got a thank you note. Am I the only person that gets annoyed by this or do I just have weird manners that don't exist in our society anymore?

This is yet another reason I feel so old fashioned, maybe thank you notes are a thing of the past, but for me they never will be!