I didn’t hear Oprah deliver this dispensation myself, but I have fond memories of the occasion on which I heard about it. It was the Fall of 1994, I had recently moved to Chicago to work for Paper Source, and Sue Lindstrom in her wisdom had insisted that I teach a workshop about letter-writing. The attendees at my first class included a mother-daughter duo {Marilyn and Eliza W.}, and the daughter had seen the show and shared Oprah’s comment with us. I have quoted this Observation {always attributed} many times, and have used it to kuhnsole myself in the mire of dire dilatoritude {which is not a word, but certainly should be}.
I am stocking up for the Season of Gratitude, with cards that I think will delight their recipients. Here are some of my current favorite thank-you cards from Felt & Wire Shop, starting with the trio above that explicitly express thanks. From left to right: lovely letterpressed lanterns from Give Studio {whose Monarch-sized Grid Thank You could be quite fun and festive to color in while you are on the phone}; a bookish botanical from Paper + Cup; and a divinely deluxely engraved Thank You – which deserves a little easel in addition to an envelope – from Petite Suite.
A prompt thank-you note is nice – and prompt. A tardy thank-you note is still nice, albeit not prompt, but perhaps all the more delightful for being unexpected. You can acknowledge that you loved, loved, loved whatever it was… on this little letterpressed gem from Bluepoolroad. Or that someone hit the gift-giving bullseye… on this big, bold card from Grant Design Collaborative.
If you are seriously tardy, you can show you know it! The people at Pie Bird Press make it easy to grovel with a marvy moonbeam clock or breezy pennants. Penance, get it? Thank about it.
Alyson Kuhn reminds you to put the date, including the year, on your thank-you notes.
