With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’ve been thinking about how we say thank you and express our gratitude for one another these days. I will admit that I am guilty of this as well, but I think that our society has started to rely very heavily on Instagram and Facebook posts as the main ways to say thank you. We all struggle to find that perfect picture and caption with the right emojis. This poses a few problems. First of all, it really isn’t too intimate or personal because everyone else can see what you write. This causes us to worry not only about what we want to say, but also about how others will read it. What words should we use? What stories should we say or not say? Will the other person be okay with my followers seeing this? This leads to the next issue. I think that some people want others to see their post. They almost want to brag about how great this person or thing in their life is and so by saying thank you on social media, they get to express gratitude and show off at the same time. This is especially true when people dedicate their posts to others who don’t even have social media. If they won’t even see it, then what’s the point? In this case, there must be another motive. This Thanksgiving, I want to challenge myself to say thank you in a more traditional way. I want to do so in a way that the other person will remember and be able to cherish going forward.
Here are 7 old-fashioned ways to say thank you.
1. Give them a call.
I’ve learned the importance of this since I’ve been at school away from home. For example, whenever I call my grandparents, they’re so happy to hear my voice. Although they’ve become more tech savvy over the years, they still love phone calls more than any other form of communication.
2. Send them a letter.
Similarly to calling someone, writing a letter only takes a little more effort than a text or post, but it is so much more personal and can be cherished forever. Sometimes it is nice to read something in another person’s own handwriting.
3. Make them a small token of appreciation.
In the past, my sister and I have made small gifts for my mom. Although neither of us is artistic and the gifts definitely showed this, I know that my mom loved them because of the effort and teamwork they took to make.
4. Pay them a visit.
If you are close enough in distance and able to find out if the person is home, surprise visits are nice.
5. Meet for lunch and catch up.
What’s better than eating lunch and getting to talk to one of the people you are most grateful for? Just like paying someone a visit, this may be hard because of distance and busy schedules, but you can always plan it for a later date.
6. Write them a poem.
Okay, now I’m not saying you need to become the new Robert Frost or William Wordsworth, but I know that a lot of people appreciate a little poem of gratitude, especially grandparents. My family and I have written short poems for my grandparents that have included memories and our favorite things about them, and they’ve appreciated them immensely. It doesn’t matter how good the poem actually is, it’s the thought that counts.
7. Treat them to a coffee.
Buying someone's favorite type of coffee or tea is always a good idea because who wouldn’t love it?!
