As we write this post, we’re all entering the second week of the new year. Our post-holiday buzz is beginning to fade as we head back to work, the prospect of another big holiday a distant vision. The industrious among us have already taken down their decorations and returned their houses to normalcy; the holidays are over.  

 But you’re not off the hook yet. 

 Remember those presents you tore into, exuberantly spraying the room with scraps of tape and wrapping paper? You might consider saying thank you to the generous people that sent those packages to your doorstep. And this is the perfect time! As long as you get your holiday thank you cards in the mail within a few weeks of the holidays ending, your sentiment will arrive fresh and welcomed. 

Unlike wedding or baby shower gifts, there is no cultural expectation to send a thank you with a holiday gift. Whether or not you choose to send holiday thank you cards is up to you. However, there are several good reasons exist to favor a mailing, and this post will discuss the most significant.

SEE ALSO:  How to Add a Gift Card to Your Order

SENDING HOLIDAY THANK YOU CARDS MAKES EVERYONE FEEL GOOD

It’s a scientific and commonsense fact that getting a thank you card in the mail makes us happy. The moment we see a friend or family member’s name in the “sent from” space on the envelope, we’re filled with a rush of excitement. We’re immediately flooded with good memories and happy tidings. And when we read the nice things the sender said about us and our gift, we get an emotional payoff for the gift we sent. 

 But it’s not just the recipient that feels good. You, the sender, get a boost to your serotonin levels, too! In a few landmark studies, researchers discovered that sending thanks makes people feel happier. Oftentimes, the effect can last for weeks or months! 

 If we shared with you something inexpensive you could do that would bring you and all of your loved ones months of boosted happiness levels, would you do it? So would we, which is why you should send holiday thank you cards.

SEE ALSO:  How to Impact People With Handwritten Cards

GRATITUDE EXTENDS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS

We love the holidays because they’re full of good cheer and warm wishes. When you send holiday thank you cards, you and your recipients get to enjoy the feeling of the holidays a little bit longer. 

 Think about how you feel when you open someone’s Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas card. You experience the happy anticipation of the coming season. You’re excited to hear from loved ones, and the card collection on your mantle gets just a little warmer with another addition. 

 That’s how people feel when they receive your holiday thank you card. The feeling of anticipation is swapped for nostalgia, but the sentiment is the same. The instant your envelope is opened, it’s the holidays again — just for a few minutes — and the cockles of your recipients’ hearts will be rewarmed.

THANK YOU CARDS STRENGTHEN BONDS

Relationships are about give and take. When you need something, your friends and family are there to provide it. And when they need help, you’re there in return.  

 Holiday thank you cards create a similar quid pro quo. They send authentic words of appreciation in exchange for a gift — and the gift is itself a physical manifestation of the appreciation the gift giver holds for you. This mutual appreciation cements the bond between the two parties and strengthens their relationship.

SEE ALSO:  How to Build Relationships More Productively

YOU CAN SEND THEM INSTEAD OF A GIFT

It isn’t possible to buy everyone you know a gift. You likely don’t have the time or the funds. And particularly when someone sends you a gift unexpectedly, you may not have time to shop for something in return. When the occasion strikes that someone sends you a gift, and you have nothing to send in return, send a holiday thank you card. 

 The card, as simple as it seems, is a grand gesture. It satisfies the exchange that’s implied with gifting but returning gratitude, in physical form, in exchange for a present. It lets the giver know that you received their gift, and it made a difference in your life. It says, “I know this isn’t much, but it’s from the heart.”

SEE ALSO:  Gift Ideas You Can Fit in an Envelope

SIMPLY NOTED MAKES IT EASY

One objection we hear frequently is that sending holiday thank you cards is too time-intensive. After all of the preparations, purchases, cooking, and traveling we do before and during the holidays, when the calendar ticks over from December 31 to January, we just want to rest. We don’t want to have to pull out our gift list, fill out a bunch of cards, and get them in the mail before too much time has passed. Yes, it makes us happy, but it’s also a hassle! 

 Thankfully, you can avoid all of the time it takes to send handwritten holiday thank you cards by outsourcing the task to Simply Noted. Our industry-leading handwriting robots will create lovely, hand-penned cards that look identical to the real thing. You choose the handwriting font you prefer or opt to recreate your handwriting for the ultimate personalization.  Need help with how to close your thank you note? We can help there, too.

 Sending warm, handwritten cards is as easy as uploading your addresses and a message to our intuitive order screen. Pick from a wide range of card designs and have our robots scribe your text inside using real ballpoint pens. It’s the easiest, most affordable way to send a handwriting holiday thank you card.

SEE ALSO:  Should a Thank You Note Be Handwritten?

MAYBE YOU “OWE” THEM A THANK YOU?

One possibility that we haven’t discussed yet is also the most obvious. Consider: Your loved one sent you a present. They didn’t have to, but they happily spent money — on you — simply because you mean something to them. And they weren’t expecting anything in return. Don’t you think, maybe, that deserves a nod of recognition? 

 At its core, a holiday thank you card is just a grateful acknowledgment that someone made a sacrifice for you. You’re letting them know that you noticed and that you appreciated it. They aren’t expecting it, but it will make their day when they receive it.