Whether it’s the preparation of your breakfast smoothie or the folding of your laundry, your loved ones likely do nice things for you with regularity. Do you always take time to say thanks?
If you’re like most, the answer to this query is probably, and sadly, no. Weighed down by the rigors of daily life, it can be quite easy to forget to express your gratitude. If you’re guilty of this manners misstep, utilize some more creative and meaningful ways to say thanks moving forward to ensure that your oh-so-helpful loved ones understand how truly appreciative you are for all they do.
1. Leave A Note
Saying thank you is great and always appreciated, but writing a thank you is even better. Set down your smart phone and pick up a pen. Compose a thoughtful and detailed message in which you clearly state what you are thanking the individual for and why what they did meant so much to you.
Be creative. Be detailed. Be heartfelt. Mail the finished letter or card to your recipient to add an element of surprise to the expression of appreciation.
2. Make An Online Video
Some thank you notes are private and personal. Others are quite the opposite. If you want to lavish thanks on your loved one in a public show of affection and appreciation, whip up a video in which you express your gratitude.
Post the video online, either on social media if you want it to be a bit more private, or on a public site like YouTube if you want the world to know just how thankful you are.
3. Complete A Chore
If someone does something for you, reciprocate. Put your gratitude into action and lighten the load on your loved-one’s shoulders by taking on a task you know she loathes. For instance, if your mother helps you clean your apartment, sneak over to her house, mount a ladder and clean out her overflowing-with-leaves gutters.
Don’t tell your loved one of the chore until after you have completed it as an extra-special surprise.
4. Write A Poem
If you’re like many, you probably haven’t penned a poem since your high school days. Show your gratitude in a creative way by dusting off these skills. No, you’re not Wordsworth or Keats, but you can likely find your way around a simple poem.
Whether you write a free verse poem, test your skills with a sonnet or even take a short-and-sweet approach with a Haiku, the product of your literary toils will undoubtedly show your recipient how grateful you are for all he’s done.
5. Snap A Photo
If you’re an Instagram queen, or even if you like to go it old school with your 35 mm, why not use these developed photography skills to prepare a meaningful and creative thank you? Take a photo of something that reminds you of the individual or of the kindness she has bestowed.
For a long-distance thank you, send your image via text along with a meaningful message. For example, if you want to thank your aunt for the money she gave you for graduation, snap an image of the ivy-covered halls of your new college campus and send it, along with a message thanking her for helping you out financially and assisting in making this possible.
For an even more meaningful thank you, have the image printed and framed and send it to your recipient with a card.
6. Bestow A Donation
Show your gratitude by giving to a cause that is near and dear to your loved one. Select a charity with which you know your loved one has an affiliation or that is connected with a cause about which he feels strongly.
If your cousin helped you out by making your wedding cake, for example, send a donation in his name to a local food pantry at which he volunteers. Inform the recipient of your thanks of this donation with a card or email.
7. Present A Trophy
Particularly if your loved one has done something super amazing for you, you certainly owe more than just a verbal thank you. Provide a thank you with the appropriate magnitude to match their kind action.
Purchase, or create if your crafty, a trophy for your special someone. If your husband regularly fills your lunch box with culinary treasures that make you the envy of the break room, for instance, create a “golden whisk” trophy and bestow it upon him, providing him a lasting reminder of just how grateful you are… even if you don’t always say it.
