Thank you for getting me a surprise gift. It made an ordinary day extraordinary. The love you bring to my life is the greatest gift I could ever receive. This surprise is a sweet bonus.

“We all have this moment,” said Post, an author and co-president of the institute, headquartered in Waterbury, Vermont. “You don’t want to focus on your lack of gift or your surprise that ...

The next gift could come with a box of thank-you cards. Or send this column to someone who may forget or doesn’t know a note of gratitude is appreciated. Choose your delivery .

(Between us, I will admit that my favorite gifts are notes of appreciation from students and parents.) In return, I have always taken the time to write careful and personal thank-you notes for ...

You'll be more likely to write a thank you note if you do it soon after receiving a gift or an act of kindness. The general expectation is between one day and two weeks after opening a gift.

In return, I have always taken the time to write careful and personal thank-you notes for each of these gifts. Part of my motivation has been to set an example for my students, demonstrating the ...