Thanking You

New years always mean new beginnings and thinking a bit about the past.

They also mean writing Thank You notes.

When I was young, my parents religiously sat me down with the list of who had sent me what for my birthday or Christmas, and the slightly formulaic (but always appreciated) process of writing what I was thankful for, what I would use it for, and how much I was looking forward to seeing that person soon was completed. Now I am at a much more responsible age I must sit myself down and write to the givers, and it made me wonder. Is it a totally out dated process, writing thank you notes? I know that I always love receiving a letter in the post and I also know that people will generally only write to you, if you write to them as well. Which in turn led to the thought about who actually initiates the correspondence? And who is responsible for continuing it? We're all generally very spoiled these days, sending out a text rather than picking up the phone when you want to see a friend, inviting people via facebook for parties ('ah, don't ask me, it's all on facebook...'). I also know I am not alone in having slightly teased people for always being the last to text, unwilling to end a conversation that is really going nowhere. Isn't it funny though, that you never want to really have the last word in a texted correspondence but if you don't reply to a letter, it'll be the last you get?

Maybe a return to the slightly older, slower days is a better way to be. Even emailing is a little too quick and there's no sense of anticipation as you wonder whose handwriting it is, or admire the pretty stamp from a faraway destination.

Not that I am going to resolve to write to each and every one of you. The Royal Mail has put up the price of stamps again and I'm fairly poor at emailing, texting and keeping in touch via facebook as it is. However, I am going to sit down and write my thank you notes today and maybe, just maybe, I'll get something in the post in return some time soon.