Are emails thank you cards appropriate?

[SeeDisney]

Hi DIS friends,


For about several years now, my kids are doing just the emails thank you cards for any christmas presents and birthday presents they get from their relatives.

Is this OK with Emily Etiquette? I never read or heard of such.

Yes, before we had a home computer we sent out paper thank you cards, but now it's the email all the way.

Anyone else?

 

[lemondog]

I don't know what the "proper" etiquette is, but my personal opinion is that only handwritten thank you notes are the way to go. I would never send an email thank you note, well let me rephrase, if I send a quick thank you via email I always follow up with a handwritten note.

 

[aprilgail2]

no way...I wouldn't let my daughter send thank yous by email....I think that real thank you's sent in the mail are still the proper way to do it.

 

[Beth76]

I'm sure you'll find someone who says it's okay. But, not any reputable etiquette expert. My vote goes for the handwritten. And also not one of those fill-in-the-blank thingies. Those must be given out with the registry cards.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I never have even thought about the email thank yous--but i would say stick with the handwritten ones

 

[disneychrista]

Okay here is the "one person" who will say it is okay. I see nothing wrong email thank you's. In fact for the most part, I feel, a simple "thank you" when the person recieves a gift is just fine.

 

[Disney Ella]

The etiquette people might have a problem with it, but I would feel properly thanked.

 

[ItsonlyExperiment626]

I have heard that if the person you are sending to is a techno geek and communicates mainly via computer, then it would be fine, but of course a hand written note via snail mail following the email note would be the cherry on top.

 

[ElizK]

Nope. Handwritten only. Emailed thank you's are tacky.

 

[MoniqueU]

I'm sure you'll find someone who says it's okay. But, not any reputable etiquette expert. My vote goes for the handwritten. And also not one of those fill-in-the-blank thingies. Those must be given out with the registry cards.

You found that someone. If I got an email thank you note I would find it very acceptable. Somtimes email is a far better way to get ahold of me then regular mail. I hate to admit it but somtimes I just toss cards and stuff without opening them but I ALways EVERYDAY, check my email. As long as something doesnt say forward in it or look like spam I read it.

 

[LoraJ]

I wouldn't mind an emailed thank you note. It saves paper.

 

[anb163]

I think e-mail thank you notes are fine. However, my family rarely does thank you notes. I hardly ever get any or send them. We say thank you in person and thats about it, but if its for a wedding shower or graduation I would send handwritten notes.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I always do handwritten cards. Emails can be missed and seemed to not show as much care in the thank you as the person who got you the gift.

 

[Keli]

I think for birthday or christmas presents it is fine as long as it's personal and not a mass email going out to everyone that bought them a gift. I wouldn't send one out for a graduation, wedding, or shower gift though.

 

[drakethib]

I don't know what the "proper" etiquette is, but my personal opinion is that only handwritten thank you notes are the way to go. I would never send an email thank you note, well let me rephrase, if I send a quick thank you via email I always follow up with a handwritten note.

Agree.

 

[Tuffcookie]

One other thing to consider is the age of the person receiving the thank you. Older persons (myself included and I'm 52) appreciate a hand written thank you.
Writing thank you notes seems to be a dying art. I think it shows good up-bringing to teach your children to hand write thank you notes.

TC

 

[tiggerlover]

One other thing to consider is the age of the person receiving the thank you. Older persons (myself included and I'm 52) appreciate a hand written thank you.
Writing thank you notes seems to be a dying art. I think it shows good up-bringing to teach your children to hand write thank you notes.

TC

I think this is very true and we are sure that our 9 year old writes his thank yous all the time. On an ocassion though, I have sent a quick thank you email to my sisters for little things (not Christmas or birthday presents). But as a general rule I am one of those who keeps stacks of thank you cards in the ole' rolltop desk. When children send emails sometimes the recipient doesn't really know if it comes from the child or the parent, with a handwritten note there is no mistake (unless the child is older and has their own email account). I do make an exception with phone calls, if DS chooses to call the gift giver and thank them over the phone, for the most part I will accept that from him, but he usually chooses to write a note.

This topic has been debated in a similar way before and the bottom line beyond ettiquette is that a lot of people feel it was the way that you were brought up, which I agree with to a degree. DH's family never (rarely) writes thank you's, I always do as I was taught that. However, I have two sisters who were taught the same thing and they do not write formal thank you's, but may send an email.

 

[Shelby5514]

I just recently saw a Oprah that talked about this. According to the 'experts', it is OK to send an E-mail thank you to a person ONLY if that person communicates mainly via email. For everyone else, Grandma, Aunt Edna, etc., should get the old fashioned, hand written thank you card. For me, a simple 'thank you' while they are opening the gift is good enough.