The art of the handwritten note

Recently a reader asked what about thank you card etiquette.  Does anyone send them anymore?

That's a great question!  And yes, people do still send hand written notes in the mail.  Less than before, but they are being sent.  Of course there is a certain etiquette to be followed and I really like the etiquette section I found at Dempsey & Carroll Stationers.  Here is the link.

Thank you card etiquette

However, I would like to take the issue of thank you cards, and written notes in general, a bit farther.  Let me ask you when was the last time you sent a "thank you note"?

As you may know, I recently launched the Shawn Rabideau Stationery collection for just that reason (among others).  The art of the hand written note is just about dead.  However, if I can single handedly bring it back…I will!  I know I have an uphill battle on my hands.  What with texting and email being "so popular" I might as well give up…but I'm not going to, and here's why the hand written note is better than a text or email.

A hand written note shows someone you care:

When you receive a hand written note from someone in the mail it shows they've taken the time to pick out a card that fits the occasion.  Whether it be"thinking of you", "congratulations" or even"sympathy" it shows that person cares about you and where you are in life at the moment.

A hand written note is better than the cell phone bill:

I know everyone has "bundle plans" these days, but getting a hand written note in the mail gives you that tingly feeling that you don't get from a cell phone bill.  Especially when you know you may have gone over your text limit.  Writing a hand written note only costs you the expense of the card, the stamp and three minutes of your time.  Going over your text plan can cost you much more than that!

A hand written note is always opened first:

I don't know about you, but when I receive a hand written note I open that before my credit card bill.  It makes me smile and I even put them on display in my home where I can see them, giving me smiles for days to come.

A hand written note can bring comfort:

When was the last time a text brought you comfort?  I have a dear friend who lives several hours away and while I can't always get a hug in person, her notes make me feel as if I received one of her fabulous hugs.  She knows when I'm sad, happy or just need a boost.  While I adore her texts, her hand written notes last forever.  I keep every single one in box…I can't do that with her texts.

Writing a hand written note polishes your writing skills:

I recently found out that my nieces never learned how to write cursive.  Let me say that again…The school doesn't teach cursive!  WHAT?!  Rather they taught them typing.  I remember having to write my letters, words and sentences over and over until I got them right and received an "A".  Writing by hand makes you polish your writing skills. Not only with appearance, but with spelling…I like the challenge of not depending on spell check.

Writing a hand written note makes me feel happy:

When I write a note to a friend, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  Partially because I feel like I'm doing something good for someone else.  But also because I know when that person receives the note it will put a smile on their face.

I could go on and on for why you should write a hand written note, but the bottom line it's the right thing to do

Email is somewhat acceptable, but I would never recommend texting a thank you note or any other kind of sentimental note, it's quite impersonal and frankly lacks emotion or feeling.

Next time you're about to send off an electronic note, pick up a pen and paper and see what kind of reaction you get.

Until next time…Cheers!