Finding Unique Ways of Saying Thank You

Now that the holidays are over and everyone is settling back into their usual routines, thoughts have turned to when to take down the holiday decorations, storing clearance items for next year, etc. One thing though, that should be thought of, that rarely is anymore is the seemingly now forgotten tradition of the thank you note.

I took a break from the great migration of Helium articles once the holiday fervor took over and I just did not have all day to sit in front the compute, but luckily I saved several articles as drafts to my blogs, so even though Helium as we once knew it is gone, I still have many of my articles available.

A while back, I contributed to a title on unique ways of showing your thanks. Originally, I said that "Thank You" was one of the most important phrases in the English language; the truth is it's one of the most important in any language, right up there with "I love you," and "I appreciate you."

Once upon a time people sent out thank you notes after having received a gift or after being the beneficiary of a gesture of generosity. That tradition has fallen by the wayside for the most part, save for wedding gifts. The rise in digital communication and the decline in snail mail has meant fewer and fewer handwritten thank yous.

Does this mean we've grown into a thankless society? I certainly hope not! There's no digital substitute for good manners. Below is my former Helium article on some of the unique ways you can say thank you to someone who has done something for you.


From October 2012...

Unique Ways to say thank you

Thank you is one of the most important phrases in the English language. Finding a unique way to show your appreciation is more than just a reciprocal gesture or an acknowledgement of what someone has given you; it is a heartfelt and thoughtful expression of gratitude.

We are all presented with opportunities to say thank you on a daily basis, and these occasions are as varied as the ways in which we are able to show our appreciation. Sometimes though, saying the words, sending a note or flowers, or picking up the tab for a meal may not seem like enough. In those instances, the gesture of thanks becomes a deed of occasion, directly reflecting the gift or act thanks are being shown for.

When looking for a unique way in which to say thank you, even small gestures can go a long way. Acknowledging someone’s generosity toward you can be as simple as putting up a sign in the front yard stating how grateful you are. If you’d like to make a bigger gesture, another option is to write a letter of acknowledgement that you then send in to the local newspaper or radio station and ask them to help you publicly thank the person.

Not all unique gestures of gratitude have to be made in public. Everyone has a talent for something, and whether yours is drawing, cooking, gardening, sewing, organizing, or even housekeeping, that talent can easily be put to good use to say thank to someone to who has been generous with you.

Gift baskets are one of the easiest ways to say thank you in a unique way that is also personal. A hand-written note accompanying a bin of baked goods, flavored vinegar, foods that have been canned, or fresh edibles harvested from the garden, can go a long way towards showing your appreciation.

Saying thank you for something someone has done for you can also be done through a gesture toward others. Did someone give you a ride or lend you bus fare when you desperately needed it? Purchase a package of tokens and give away free transportation to strangers with a note explaining their free ride is in honor of the person/act you are thankful for. Paying it forward is a great way to say thank you in a unique way.

Memorials and tributes that also give back to others, such as placing a bench or shelter at a bus stop or planting a tree, not only serve to pay your thanks forward, but stand as a legacy of generosity that will help to inspire others.

Unique ways to say thank you can range from small gestures that help you count your blessings to acts of service such as making a donation, volunteering your time, or even engage in activism for a cause important to a person, group, or institution you wish to thank.

Etiquette: What to do With Unwanted Gifts

It's that time of year again, the season of giving. Unfortunately, not all gifts given during this period will be useful items that are wanted by the recipients. In some instances this will be no big deal, and the gifts will be received with grace and a smile, but in some instances it will lead to major disappointment, and possibly even a negative response.

For still others, the folk in between the "Nice, just not my taste" and the "What am I supposed to do with this" crowds, unwanted gift items bring yet another knick-knack to add to the already overflowing clutter. After all, who really needs yet another coffee mug?

I published several gift theme articles to Helium over the years, and as I am still migrating, expect a recurring theme through the next few posts :-) This one is from November 2009, and looks at what you should do about unwanted gifts.

What to do with Unwanted Holiday Gifts

Everyone loves getting gifts.  It’s a great feeling to receive something special that was chosen just for you.  It’s not so great though when you receive a gift that turns out to be something you can’t actually use or worse, something you really don’t want.

During the holidays in particular we give and receive a multitude of gifts that range from small tokens to big ticket items.  With all this exchange among friends, associates, coworkers and family members it is inevitable you will receive something that makes you feel that even the thought didn’t count.  When this happens it is still important to accept the gift graciously and not embarrass or hurt the feelings of the person who has given you the gift.

After all, not everyone is good at choosing just the right gift for the right person.  Likewise, not everyone has an unlimited holiday gift giving budget.  Even though you may receive something you don’t want or feel you don’t have a need for the person giving the gift may have put effort into choosing it and may even have been excited about giving it to you. 

When you receive a clothing item as a holiday gift that is not your taste and you know that the person who gave you the item will expect to see you wearing it, you can either say the article is not the right size or doesn’t really match anything you own or in the case of “special occasion” garments you can say you would probably never get a chance to wear it and ask the person if you can exchange the item for something in a different color or size.  This way the person knows you appreciated the gift and are sorry you can’t use it.

The same holds true for jewelry.  Perhaps you have a coworker who loves big, chunky jewelry but you are more on the conservative side.  Thank her for the item, perhaps wear it to work once and then set it aside. After the holidays have passed, if you have another friend or a sister who likes something in that style pass it on to them and if the coworker asks about the item you can say you loaned it out or gave to someone who really needed it.

In the case of little knick knacks and figurines and things that are not functional that you may see as more clutter for collecting dust in your life, it is still in good taste to thank someone for thinking of you at the holidays, even though you have no use for what they have given you.  Perhaps you know someone else who collects items like the one you were given whom you can pass it along to after the season is over.

If you have received a piece of original art that “doesn’t fit your décor” or is something you just can not live with, find out who the artist is and see if you can possibly exchange the piece.  If the artist is the person who has given you the gift, unless the piece is completely unseemly try to find a place for it even if only temporarily.  You can always move it later or try to swap it out for something else that you like better.

When it comes to items such as music CDs, DVDs, and books you may not be interested in them when you receive them but after some time after the holidays if you give them a chance you may find these items to be not so bad after all.  If several months have passed and you still don’t have interest in the item you can always donate it or simply give it to someone else.

In those rare instances where you have received a gift that was not thoughtful such as an XXL sweater when you are a size 5 or a tin of fudge when everyone knows you are diabetic or on a diet, accept with grace, try to find a positive comment about the item itself and then give the item away to someone else who can use it.  The holidays are about giving so in that spirit, when you receive something that you absolutely can not use, it is perfectly acceptable to pass it along to someone who can. 

It is never appropriate to react negatively or show anger towards the gift giver.  Before deciding what to do with the unwanted holiday gift take a moment and ask yourself how you would feel if a gift you had given were haphazardly discarded.  A little compassion for the other person’s perspective can go a long way keeping your heart open in the spirit of the season.

Receiving and opening holiday gifts can be just as exciting of an experience in the adult years as it was during childhood and it can be just as disappointing to open a gift and see something you don’t really like or want as it was in your youth.  But even when you are disappointed it is important to keep your composure and thank the person for the gift.