I don’t have my kids do thank yous for bday party gifts as young elementary schoolers anymore. I did it with my oldest for the first couple of years when he had whole class bday parties in preschool and es. printed them out on the computer with a pic of him with the gift as he opened them at home and had him sign them then sent them into school. Then realized not a ton of people do it and happily removed it from my list, especially as we moved on from whole class parties and I needed to track down addresses. I’m aware it’s not perfect etiquette and I’m ok with it. We always thank people for coming and bringing a gift as they leave. We still do thank yous for relatives and people who send things from out of town so they know a gift was received and enjoyed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most probably don't have stamps and stationary. An email or text is fine.

All four of my kids have personalized stationery. The younger ones love being sent to the post office to mail things.

Most kids (and likely adults) do not have stationery - let alone personalized. You are definitely an outlier. I dare say pen and paper will soon be akin to having a quill and inkwell at your desk. The times have just changed.

It doesn’t need to be a physical note. It can be a nice email.

I write them when I receive a gift, a nice gesture, invited to a thoughtful dinner party. My kids have their own stationary and write them too; for gifts, being brought as a guest with a friend on a trip, someone that gave them extra help.

I don’t receive very many though. That’s ok. I’m not sour about. I assume the adults just don’t care to and the kids/teens weren’t ever taught it is polite and gracious to write them. Or they don’t care either. But I grew up with parents that never wrote them and I never wrote them either until I was in college. I received a well written thank you note from a professor I helped significantly with a research project and a light went off for me that yes, that is the right thing to do.

Anonymous wrote:I only have young kids but I had to take this off of my very overwhelming to do list. We appreciate gifts and the people who give them. I send a text with a photo of my kid using the gift when I can, the rest I just let it go. Apologies in advance to anyone who is offended. I can't do it all.

LOL, I love that we let go the thank yous before DCUM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most probably don't have stamps and stationary. An email or text is fine.

All four of my kids have personalized stationery. The younger ones love being sent to the post office to mail things.

Most kids (and likely adults) do not have stationery - let alone personalized. You are definitely an outlier. I dare say pen and paper will soon be akin to having a quill and inkwell at your desk. The times have just changed.

Many gift givers are pretty terrible and send thoughtless, cursory gifts. Sending thank yous only encourages more of the same, and unfortunately there's no great way to communicate to please stop (yes, I have tried). E.g., Baby bible stories for my newborn (I'm not religious), holiday fruitcakes, and unwanted/inappropriate clothing.

Delivery tracking is generally pretty reliable these days such that sending a note to confirm receipt isn't necessary.

I'm personally happy to give gifts and actually enjoy doing so. I don't need a thank you and really don't understand why others do, either. Shouldn't the satisfaction of giving a gift be enough?

As to OP, yes, people write notes less now. Texts and messages are often sent in their stead, but nothing is common too. You can write these kids off as being rude, and complain about this generation, or you can adjust your expectations. I dunno, OP. I suspect you already know this from the framing of your question, though...

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only have young kids but I had to take this off of my very overwhelming to do list. We appreciate gifts and the people who give them. I send a text with a photo of my kid using the gift when I can, the rest I just let it go. Apologies in advance to anyone who is offended. I can't do it all.

This. I would gladly even take gift giving off the table to save me the headache of having people offended. We don't mean to offend. If your intention in giving the gift is to be thanked, you can probably abstain.

What if we thank you in person when we receive the gift? Is that not good enough?

People have always been busy. It’s common courtesy to send a thank you note once you’ve had a chance to open the gift. Thanking someone for something when it’s wrapped and you don’t know what it is doesn’t count.

My mom always had my sister and me write thank you notes. I do the same thing with my daughter. In my view, it’s important to take the time to show gratitude.

No, people have NOT been busy like they are now. Not anywhere close.
And we no longer use mail. At all. Thank you notes are definitely a relic of a bygone era that only older people utilize.

And if me thanking you to your face and telling you how nice it is to give a gift "doesn't count" then you are too high maintenance to know.

You’re rude and I hope I don’t know you in real life.

Dude, I thank people to their face for gifts and you tell me that's NOT SUFFICIENT! That is the most arrogant thing ever. If I thank you in person, it shouldn't need a post-facto redo. My thanks do not change once gift opened.
Name anyone under 50 who uses USPS and/or letters.

You need to get off your high horse. And no, I am 100% sure that I do not know you in real life. Most of my friends are pretty chill people.

I’m chill too, but don’t consider thanking you for a wrapped gift sufficient. I will send a note that has a couple sentences about the gift itself. Something like “thank you for the beautiful vase! It looks lovely on the dining room table.”

That is the very definition of not being chill. And if you require a personal, handwritten note with a description of each gift and its qualities, you are a PITA

It’s not a requirement; I just consider it courteous. It’s my way of showing you I appreciate your gift.

yeah, because "thank you!" doesn't convey exactly that. Some people are too much.

Once again — when I thank you for a wrapped gift, I don’t know what it is. I prefer to follow up with a note.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only have young kids but I had to take this off of my very overwhelming to do list. We appreciate gifts and the people who give them. I send a text with a photo of my kid using the gift when I can, the rest I just let it go. Apologies in advance to anyone who is offended. I can't do it all.

This. I would gladly even take gift giving off the table to save me the headache of having people offended. We don't mean to offend. If your intention in giving the gift is to be thanked, you can probably abstain.

What if we thank you in person when we receive the gift? Is that not good enough?

People have always been busy. It’s common courtesy to send a thank you note once you’ve had a chance to open the gift. Thanking someone for something when it’s wrapped and you don’t know what it is doesn’t count.

My mom always had my sister and me write thank you notes. I do the same thing with my daughter. In my view, it’s important to take the time to show gratitude.

No, people have NOT been busy like they are now. Not anywhere close.
And we no longer use mail. At all. Thank you notes are definitely a relic of a bygone era that only older people utilize.

And if me thanking you to your face and telling you how nice it is to give a gift "doesn't count" then you are too high maintenance to know.

You’re rude and I hope I don’t know you in real life.

Dude, I thank people to their face for gifts and you tell me that's NOT SUFFICIENT! That is the most arrogant thing ever. If I thank you in person, it shouldn't need a post-facto redo. My thanks do not change once gift opened.
Name anyone under 50 who uses USPS and/or letters.

You need to get off your high horse. And no, I am 100% sure that I do not know you in real life. Most of my friends are pretty chill people.

I’m chill too, but don’t consider thanking you for a wrapped gift sufficient. I will send a note that has a couple sentences about the gift itself. Something like “thank you for the beautiful vase! It looks lovely on the dining room table.”

That is the very definition of not being chill. And if you require a personal, handwritten note with a description of each gift and its qualities, you are a PITA

It’s not a requirement; I just consider it courteous. It’s my way of showing you I appreciate your gift.

yeah, because "thank you!" doesn't convey exactly that. Some people are too much.

Anonymous wrote:Most probably don't have stamps and stationary. An email or text is fine.

All four of my kids have personalized stationery. The younger ones love being sent to the post office to mail things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only have young kids but I had to take this off of my very overwhelming to do list. We appreciate gifts and the people who give them. I send a text with a photo of my kid using the gift when I can, the rest I just let it go. Apologies in advance to anyone who is offended. I can't do it all.

This. I would gladly even take gift giving off the table to save me the headache of having people offended. We don't mean to offend. If your intention in giving the gift is to be thanked, you can probably abstain.

What if we thank you in person when we receive the gift? Is that not good enough?

People have always been busy. It’s common courtesy to send a thank you note once you’ve had a chance to open the gift. Thanking someone for something when it’s wrapped and you don’t know what it is doesn’t count.

My mom always had my sister and me write thank you notes. I do the same thing with my daughter. In my view, it’s important to take the time to show gratitude.

No, people have NOT been busy like they are now. Not anywhere close.
And we no longer use mail. At all. Thank you notes are definitely a relic of a bygone era that only older people utilize.

And if me thanking you to your face and telling you how nice it is to give a gift "doesn't count" then you are too high maintenance to know.

You’re rude and I hope I don’t know you in real life.

Dude, I thank people to their face for gifts and you tell me that's NOT SUFFICIENT! That is the most arrogant thing ever. If I thank you in person, it shouldn't need a post-facto redo. My thanks do not change once gift opened.
Name anyone under 50 who uses USPS and/or letters.

You need to get off your high horse. And no, I am 100% sure that I do not know you in real life. Most of my friends are pretty chill people.

I’m chill too, but don’t consider thanking you for a wrapped gift sufficient. I will send a note that has a couple sentences about the gift itself. Something like “thank you for the beautiful vase! It looks lovely on the dining room table.”

That is the very definition of not being chill. And if you require a personal, handwritten note with a description of each gift and its qualities, you are a PITA

It’s not a requirement; I just consider it courteous. It’s my way of showing you I appreciate your gift.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only have young kids but I had to take this off of my very overwhelming to do list. We appreciate gifts and the people who give them. I send a text with a photo of my kid using the gift when I can, the rest I just let it go. Apologies in advance to anyone who is offended. I can't do it all.

This. I would gladly even take gift giving off the table to save me the headache of having people offended. We don't mean to offend. If your intention in giving the gift is to be thanked, you can probably abstain.

What if we thank you in person when we receive the gift? Is that not good enough?

People have always been busy. It’s common courtesy to send a thank you note once you’ve had a chance to open the gift. Thanking someone for something when it’s wrapped and you don’t know what it is doesn’t count.

My mom always had my sister and me write thank you notes. I do the same thing with my daughter. In my view, it’s important to take the time to show gratitude.

No, people have NOT been busy like they are now. Not anywhere close.
And we no longer use mail. At all. Thank you notes are definitely a relic of a bygone era that only older people utilize.

And if me thanking you to your face and telling you how nice it is to give a gift "doesn't count" then you are too high maintenance to know.

You’re rude and I hope I don’t know you in real life.

Dude, I thank people to their face for gifts and you tell me that's NOT SUFFICIENT! That is the most arrogant thing ever. If I thank you in person, it shouldn't need a post-facto redo. My thanks do not change once gift opened.
Name anyone under 50 who uses USPS and/or letters.

You need to get off your high horse. And no, I am 100% sure that I do not know you in real life. Most of my friends are pretty chill people.

I’m chill too, but don’t consider thanking you for a wrapped gift sufficient. I will send a note that has a couple sentences about the gift itself. Something like “thank you for the beautiful vase! It looks lovely on the dining room table.”

That is the very definition of not being chill. And if you require a personal, handwritten note with a description of each gift and its qualities, you are a PITA

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only have young kids but I had to take this off of my very overwhelming to do list. We appreciate gifts and the people who give them. I send a text with a photo of my kid using the gift when I can, the rest I just let it go. Apologies in advance to anyone who is offended. I can't do it all.

This. I would gladly even take gift giving off the table to save me the headache of having people offended. We don't mean to offend. If your intention in giving the gift is to be thanked, you can probably abstain.

What if we thank you in person when we receive the gift? Is that not good enough?

People have always been busy. It’s common courtesy to send a thank you note once you’ve had a chance to open the gift. Thanking someone for something when it’s wrapped and you don’t know what it is doesn’t count.

My mom always had my sister and me write thank you notes. I do the same thing with my daughter. In my view, it’s important to take the time to show gratitude.

No, people have NOT been busy like they are now. Not anywhere close.
And we no longer use mail. At all. Thank you notes are definitely a relic of a bygone era that only older people utilize.

And if me thanking you to your face and telling you how nice it is to give a gift "doesn't count" then you are too high maintenance to know.

You’re rude and I hope I don’t know you in real life.

Dude, I thank people to their face for gifts and you tell me that's NOT SUFFICIENT! That is the most arrogant thing ever. If I thank you in person, it shouldn't need a post-facto redo. My thanks do not change once gift opened.
Name anyone under 50 who uses USPS and/or letters.

You need to get off your high horse. And no, I am 100% sure that I do not know you in real life. Most of my friends are pretty chill people.

I’m chill too, but don’t consider thanking you for a wrapped gift sufficient. I will send a note that has a couple sentences about the gift itself. Something like “thank you for the beautiful vase! It looks lovely on the dining room table.”

Most probably don't have stamps and stationary. An email or text is fine.

My child sends thank you texts, emails, or (preferably) notes in the mail.

My only issue w/not receiving any gift acknowledgment is that I don't have any other way to know if a gift was received. Unless I've sent a check, of course, then I can see that it was cashed.