Five Simple Ways to Express Gratitude
A handwritten thank-you card isn’t the only way to do it
It’s a tough time for paper-based expressions of sentiment. The stationary chain Papyrus has filed for bankruptcy. Stores like CVS and Walmart have been reconsidering the amount of shelf space they devote to cards. A Hallmark executive recently told the Wall Street Journal that millennials and Gen Z consumers aren’t buying paper greetings. In some cases, she said, younger generations don’t even know where to buy stamps or how to properly address envelopes.
Right now, all of this feels pretty far removed from my own life, which currently centers around thank-you notes—lots of them. I recently got married in a large, traditional wedding. After the revelry and gift-opening subsided, my new husband and I had a long list of heartfelt thank yous to disseminate. Even though the idea of having to write and mail hundreds of envelopes was stressing me out, I knew there was no getting away from the handwritten card in this case; sometimes, tradition is best answered with tradition.
But expressing thanks for all the many generous acts that people performed for us — gifting us sets of china, art directing our decor, sharing sage advice— actually made me feel better. Indeed, research has found that making a conscious effort to be grateful is good for…
