Pet hate - impersonal thank you cards

Guilty sometimes - we had over 30 children to S's party and with being heavily PG impersonal was all that happened. I did write M's ones personally - which is why some still haven't gone out, to my shame.

I put personal messages on the ones we've done so far so new baby/birthday gifts.  I don't do christmas thank yous and I don't know why.  Perhaps because everyone is giving and receiving gifts it seems a bit overkill to follow all that up with thank yous. 

I haven't received any totally pre-printed ones yet so can't say if I'd be bothered by it but my initial feeling would bo no, it wouldn't bother me

I dont get this whole expecting a thank you card and going in a huff if one isnt received.

I buy gifts because I want to. Not because I want a thank you card in return. I always feel I should be writing a thank you for the thank you!

Each to their own I guess.

In my circle of friends / family I never receive thank you cards when the gift is from an adult to an adult (like for a birthday pressie) yet there seems to be an expectation that if the gift is for a child that a thank you card should be forthcoming. Fine, I understand the importance of making a child show gratitude and respect and certainly when my daughter is of an age where she can draw or write I will insist but seriously is a Mum with a new born baby expected to have the time or energy to write thank you cards! I certainly would not want to add to a new Mum's workload! Anyway sensitive topic for me as I offended half of my friends and family by not sending them cards

Another one who doesn't like them or if they write 'thank you for your gift. it just seems too impersonal for me. When we have received gifts either for our wedding/ when A was born or her christening we have kept a list of who gave what to make it more personal.

ETA- I'm not someone who expects a thank you card. If i don't get one I don't get one. Sometimes i'd rather not get one than have one with just a photo and the child's name.

I don't mind them, and especially not if it's from a new mum or after a children's party. I might be a bit peeved if I felt I had gone to an awful lot of trouble over a gift or been very generous and only got an impersonal thank you, but not otherwise.

smarties:

I spent days writing out individual thankyous after Noah was born, making sure I made personal comments to each person, and mentioned the specific gifts / cards / cakes etc that they had given, so yes I hate the impersonal ones too.

 

I did that and OH was amazed I managed, as I am rubbish at that sort of thing.

Tbh, I appreciate any kind of thank you as it seems so rare these days to even send a thank you text! I don't necessarily expect a card but an acknowledgement would be nice.

I do think it's rude not to send a personalised thank you card after weddings though given that most people will have travelled a long way and spent a lot of money on attending. H and I spent a whole day writing ours between us but it was really important to us to do so. I would say that in 90% of the weddings we attend we don't even receive an acknowledgement which personally I find really shocking.

All that said, I still need to do Toby's TY cards for his birthday! Those of you who came to his party - there is one in the pipeline I promise!

Like you said, each to their own but I dont see anything really wrong with it. Id be grateful for the thankyou as they dont come very often! Im terrible at taking ages to send them, I still have his Christmas ones unwritten in the drawer, I ended up ringing/texting around-Im guessing texts arent the done thing?

I get so frustrated when my Mum goes to the trouble to buy all 3 children of one of my cousins presents for their birthdays and she doesnt get a thankyou, ever. But then, 4 years ago I wouldnt have even considered sending thankyou cards to people for birthday presents, its not something we did growing up. 

Meant to add, the only ones Ive seen in the paper are ones from elderly people - 90th birthdays, 60th weddings etc and in that instance Id imagine its a lot easier for them

I think its too impersonal - if you have gone to the time to look for, and buy a gift. and if  they are wanting to thank you it should have a bit more than "filling in the blanks"

I used to hate that too then I had the twins and received about 150 gifts from lovely friends and family!  I was very grateful but as time went on I started  to resent the gifts!  I had present fatigue I think.  I had a card made but left the back blank so I could do a personal thank you - next time I am having them pre printed!!

rooted

Max2607:

I think its too impersonal - if you have gone to the time to look for, and buy a gift. and if  they are wanting to thank you it should have a bit more than "filling in the blanks"

I hate quoting as it really looks like Im pointing fingers which Im not, just picked up on the point made. If it was a present for a new Mum, would you feel the same? Not just aimed at you Max2607, general question

Yes it does annoy me a leetle bit actually but I rather receive a thank you than nothing at all.  It's the thought that counts after all. 

I have been to about 4 or 5 parties recently and only one person bothered to send thank you cards for the gifts we gave.  I was quite surprised as I thought everyone sent thank you cards.  Obviously I was wrong!

I dont mind them at all - a thank you is a thank you it doesnt matter which format it comes in. With O and S I did hand-written thank you cards and the same for my wedding. I have to say though I dont send thank you cards for birthday presents - I never have. I must be soo rude!