Thank you cards - why and how to make it easier

Thank you cards

We all know that they are a struggle to write, but I have added below hints on how to make it easier and why I think it is a tradition we should encourage.

Why write them?

Joan Grayson Cohen, a licensed clinical social worker, says thank-you notes teach important lessons. These include being gracious about receiving gifts and valuing the gesture of gift giving. Writing thank you notes also teaches children to think beyond themselves and to make the giver feel appreciated. Taking a little time to express thanks teaches the protocols of civility and consideration, which can be transferred to other situations later in life, such as writing a note after a job interview."

Joan Grayson Cohen offered the following tips about writing those notes that should make this act of appreciation more fun for everyone:

Choose a method appropriate to your child’s age. Younger children who can’t write might draw a picture. They can dictate their thanks and Mum or Dad can write down their words. What a wonderful opportunity this is to begin teaching your child to write his or her name!

Find alternatives to writing. A children who can write but for whom writing is difficult (or who is resisting) can design his or her own stationery; cut out a picture of the gift from a magazine or the box and tape it in the note; and/or draw or paint the gift in the thank you note.

Make the task manageable. Don’t be a perfectionist about grammar and spelling. The thank you is more meaningful when it looks like it comes from the child. Brief notes are fine. If a child receives many gifts, space out the notes by writing a few each day.

Share the thanks you've received. Give your child positive models by sharing appreciative notes you have received, showing how much the thanks means to someone else.

Plan ahead. Purchase thank you cards with your child before the holidays (there's still a little time). This will set up the expectation that notes will be written for gifts received – another way to minimize the conflict

 Written by Kate Shatzkin of the Baltimore Sun

Christmas fairs and children's Christmas cards

Spent the last two weeks preparing and doing my Christmas fairs, which was very exciting, it was lovely to get out there instead of being sat in front of my computer and show off CocoCards designs.

The feedback I received on the cards was superb, people commented on the quality of the cards and the lovely designs - so thanks again to all my designers.

The thank you cards did very well, hopefully I encouraged old fashioned letter writing for our children. i will put all the designs on the website this week.

I have just been busy creating all of my daughters pre schools Christmas Cards, I will get them back from the printers today, so I hope everyone loves them I think they are lovely.

Is it really 5 weeks till Christmas

Christmas really has come early for me this year I normally ignore xmas till december, but designing christmas card since september, and personalising designs over the last week has made me panic. I have no idea what to buy for my 3 kids. I am lucky as they do not have long lists of things they want, but just a small list would be helpful!

I am going to browse the internet for original goodies, so if I find an wonderful presents I will list them here.

My other dilemma is which christmas card to choose for mine this year, it will probably have to be a trifold christmas card as they are so original and the ones I have printed so far have been just divine.

Remember 15% off till 20th November on all xmas cards, just click on www.cococards.co.uk.

Bye for now

Helen

Christmas fairs

About to do my first christmas fairs in a couple of weeks and I am going to show my christmas card collection, personalised christmas tags, thank you cards, kids jewellery (pictures to follow) - very exciting, my friend is a jewellery designer and we have made the most beautiful jewellery with scrabble tiles, pearls and silver name beads.

The Baby Website review

I am just about to start a christmas competition with The Baby Website to win 2 sets of my personalised christmas cards, so log on to www.thebabywebsite.com, to see if you can win.

2 members of the baby website have just won 40 cards of their choice, so waiting to hear what they have chosen.

I also asked 3 members to review and try out my cards and this is what they said: 
"Unique!"
I was very fortunate to be able to try these. We ordered the Baby announcements cards and I am well pleased with them. I found the experience truly unique! There were so many designs to choose from, and all of them as good as the next one, We finally chose one which would accommodate a large picture. Family and friends have been very happy to receive them. The cards are also on their way to Mauritius. We ordered the cards on Friday night and they arrived on Tuesday. Communication was great as we received a proof the same night. I cannot Praise this company enough as I have been so happy with the cards. I would rate them 10 out of 10!

Member review by Nauseen - Mummy to 3 children. - review date 21st October 2008
"Fantastic service"
I ordered some thank you cards for Lucas to use after his birthday. I ordered the blue dots thank you cards. I received an email from Helen with a proof of the card for me to check & approve, which I did. I received another email from Helen saying that the colours looked too pale when printed and she sent me two other designs to choose from. One was very similar to the one I had chosen, the other had red cars. I thought Lucas would love the cars as he loves F1 etc, so I cheekily said if the cars could be green they would be perfect. I received another email with 6 different car designs that could all be made green. I chose the racing car. I then received another email with the new design to check & approve, which I did. It looked fab in the email.

Within a few days a box arrived from coco cards. The cards were well packaged with bubble wrap in a sturdy box to make sure they arrived in perfect condition. The cards and envelopes themselves were wrapped in tissue paper and tied witha bow, which I thought was a very personal touch. The cards looked better in real life. There is plenty of space for Lucas to write a personal message, and even though his handwriting isn't the smallest in the world he'll still get a good few words written down.

The cards are fab, the company are fab what more can I say?

Member review by Yvonne - mum of 5 - review date 10th October 2008
"I love these and they are a good idea"
I was lucky to be chosen to test out the Mummy Cards, they have all the details on them about you and your baby so your address tel number, babies allergies, drs number, emergency contact etc.

They are fantastic to have in your bag at nursery or with a baby sitter in case of emergency, they are also good to give out at a play group if you want to give another mummy your details but dont have a pen.

Everyone I have shown the cards to thinks they are great. Same as the review above, Helen at Coco cards emailed proofs just to check they were right, we also had a little pic of Jess on them. Then a few days later they arrived through out door.

Now us mummy's can be like slick executives and look really cool with our Mummy style business cards.

Im tempted to get some more when these run out.

Member review by Sarah - Mummy to Jessica - review date 10th October 2008

Hello

Hi there, this is my first ever blog, so all very exciting.

I will use this blog to update you on new trends in stationery, ideas and any tips I think are worth sharing.

As soon as my children are back in school and pre school I will start sharing.