Set Aside Time Now for Thank-You Cards

The holidays are over and by now you’ve missed your goal of getting your thank yous done before New Year’s.

But don’t fear, you can still get them into the mailbox before January is over with a few simple steps.

Alicia on ‘Organize Your Supplies’

I like to save time by using the Internet and get my stamps at Stamps.com, lovely thank-you cards at CraneAndCo.com and clear adhesive address labels at OfficeDepot.com. The items are shipped right to my door. Another shortcut I take is making address labels on computer. I have such messy handwriting, and I’m sure I also save the Postal Service time and energy, too!

Sarah on ‘Schedule Your Time’

If you don’t block off time in your schedule to write thank-yous, it’s highly likely you’ll fall into the ‘tomorrow’ trap. This is especially true for families with young children. Early in the week, arrange a schedule with your spouse so that you each get some quiet time to write them. And if you have children old enough to write, set aside time to help them get theirs done as well. One great way to help younger ones get started is to buy pre-printed thank you cards that let them fill in the blanks.

Other reminders:

#1. Keep it short and sweet
Remember that thank-you cards don’t have to be books! It is more than OK to be brief. You can convey a true sense of appreciation with just a few lines. If you’re suffering from writer’s block, try picking a detail about the gift that you love or are excited about and writing a line just about that.

#2. Add a personal touch
A personal detail is one of the best ways to bring your gratitude to life — for you and the gift-giver. For example, ‘I have been wanting a digital camera for so long, you made a wish come true. I am going to be able to capture so many great memories of the kids and look forward to sending you lots more fun photos of them.’ In addition, you might want to bring up something about the giver: ‘It was so nice to spend Christmas Eve caroling with you as well. Let’s have lunch in the middle of January.’ If the giver is not someone as close to you, you can still be thoughtful. ‘Good luck getting that promotion you were telling me about.’

#3. Take a creativity break
Sometimes it takes a little while for your creative juices to get going. If you find that you’re staring at a blank piece of paper for a while, getting bored, give yourself a five- or 1- minute creativity break. Just be sure to get back to it!