How to Say Thank You
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Or, if you prefer, you can subscribe to my blog posts by e-mail. Thanks for visiting!
On Tuesday past, my wife brought home a thank-you note from the office. I couldn’t think of what we had done that warranted a thank-you card until my wife reminded me, it was from a wedding we attended 13 months ago. We smiled at the thought of the couple starting their life together and not so focussed on prosaic tasks like thank-you cards.
Traditionally, Thanksgiving celebrates the bounty of the harvest. However, it’s also a good time to remember the debt of gratitude we owe to people who give to us. As a response, thank you is the ultimate gift. It acknowledges our appreciation for what other people do for us.
Saying thank you is not a complex process, but there are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:
Do:
- Remember, saying thank you is always appropriate.
- Appreciate all things done for you, large and small.
- Respond quickly with your thank you; the sooner, the better.
- Be specific with your thanks: note the importance of job accomplished, quality of performance, specific things done, etc.
- Add a personal touch to the thank-you.
- Be prepared. Keep a few thank-you cards or gifts at hand so that they are ready when needed.
Do not:
- Over-do or under-do a thank you. Match the response to the gift received
- Spend a lot of money to say thank you. Be creative and look for inexpensive ways to say thanks. A handwritten note is often the best.
- Send a generic, common thank-you note to groups. Everyone should be acknowledged personally and sincerely.
- Use the same thank-you notes year after year.
Saying thank you is a simple process, but it carries large rewards.
Top Thanksgiving Themed Movies
Today is Thanksgiving Day for our friends south of our border. Here is a list of Thanksgiving-themed movies:
- To Kill A Walking Bird
- My Best Friend’s Dressing
- The Texas Coleslaw Massacre
- Casserolablanca
- The Fabulous Baster Boys
- Hungry Men
- Silence of the Yams
- For Love of The Game Hen
- I Know What You Ate Last Winter
- All the President’s Menu
- White Meat Can’t Jump
- When Harry Met Salad
- The Story of U.S.
- The Wing and I
Christmas Time Tips
Christmas Organizing Tip – Share the Load
As you head towards this year’s holiday season, you’re already filling in dates on your calendar: parties, concerts, shopping, visiting all add to an already full schedule. Starting around the end of November, things can get quite stressful.
If you want to relieve some of the pressure of holiday preparation, ask for help.
- If it’s your turn to plan the office Christmas party, put together a group to help with the plans.
- The season focuses on family. Get family members involved in shopping, decorating, baking, etc.
- Look for ways to out-source some of the load.
- Charitable organizations run gift-wrapping services to raise funds. Save some time and support a worthy cause by getting your gifts wrapped.
- If baking is not your strong skill, visit a bakery and stock up.
- Order your groceries online and use the freed up time for gift shopping.
Holidays add the expectation of a personal touch to all that happens. Don’t feel you have to do everything. Ask for help.
This Christmas Give the Gift of Time
Here it is, the end of November and we’re well into the seasonal merchandising blitz. I was at my daughter’s place in Winnipeg and she has her Christmas decorations up already.
Black Friday is almost here. Have you started your Christmas shopping? What will the gift list look like in another month?
Retailers would have us believe we need to spend, spend, spend to avoid comparisons to Ebenezer Scrooge. However, we can give a gift that requires not cash outlay, but is priceless.
Give the gift of time to family, friends and the community.
Commit to doing things with family. As much as your kids will like a new game for the Wii, they will treasure the time you commit to their lives. Whether it’s showing up at the school play [...] Continue Reading…
How to Write a Eulogy
I’m in Winnipeg today for my Father’s funeral. As the family has been remembering and planning a tribute, I have been struck at how difficult it is to summarize the life of a close family member into just a few minutes. We’ve prepare the remarks as a family and that makes things easier, from the perspective of the mechanics of the writing process.
I first post this a couple of years ago, but here it is again, a simple template for giving a eulogy.
Introduce yourself and your connection to the deceased. “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Ian and Mavis was my aunt.”
Briefly summarize the life of the deceased:
When they were born
Where they were born
Growing up
Marriage, family, etc
Briefly summarize the accomplishments of the deceased:
Education
Skills
Career
Hobbies
Share happy [...] Continue Reading…
How to have a green Christmas
I’m not talking about a Christmas without snow; though that’s what Christmas looks like in many parts of the World. I’m talking about being environmentally conscious during the holiday season.
There are many ways to cut your environmental footprint this holiday season. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Gifts
Try flea markets, antique jewellery and thrift shops for gifts.
Give local, organic hampers, locally-brewed beer or organic wine.
Make preserves, baking, flavoured oils or chocolates.
Treat people to entertainment or sporting events.
Give gift certificates for dining out.
Re-use bags when buying presents.
Avoid battery-powered gifts. Get equipment for outdoor activities instead.
Food and drink
Buy seasonal, local produce and loose not pre-packed vegetables.
Avoid using disposable plates and cups.
Don’t cook more food than you need.
Run the dishwasher only when it is full.
Compost vegetable [...] Continue Reading…
Advent Calendar Resources On-line
November 29 in the start of the Advent season. December 1st is the day people starting popping the doors on Advent calendars and eating the little chocolates inside. The following on-line advent calendars won’t produce any confections, but you will be able to mark the passage of the next 25 days. Some of these calendars are based on the liturgical calendar.
http://www.smile-a-day.com/advent-calendar.shtml
http://www.smmp.com/Advent/Advent.htm
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/calendar/
http://www.cartoonchurch.com/advent/ (This calendar is from 2005, but the cartoons are still funny.)
http://www.boowakwala.com/calendar/online-advent-calendar.html
You can even make Your Own:
Here are PDF templates for an Advent Calendar that you can put together http://www.janbrett.com/christmas_treasury_advent_calendar.htm
eHow.com has instructions for making an Advent Calendar using a bath towel and brown paper bags: http://www.ehow.com/how_11216_make-advent-calendar.html
Review for Success
When we come to the end of a project or activity, it is common to review the outcomes. It can be very easy to consider these outcomes from a negative perspective, what went wrong rather than what went right. Next time you need to review a project, try looking at its successful outcomes. At the very least, try balancing each negative consideration with a positive.
Negative/neutral question
Success-focused alternative
What went wrong?
What went right?
What are our needs?
What are our strengths?
What did we learn?
What did we learn to do better?
What issues should we put on the agenda?
What issues can be taken off the agenda?
How can we improve?
What strengths could we make more use of?
What’s missing from this group?
What are the assets of this group?
What would you do differently next time?
What would you do the [...] Continue Reading…
How to Have a Simple and Stress-Free Holiday
Happy, fun, merry—hopefully these words come to mind when you think of holiday festivities. For some, anxiety, dread and grief seem to pop up. When family and friends gather, it isn’t always picture perfect. Being prepared is the best way to manage relationships and keep the peace. Ease stress, share the load and learn to enjoy your family during the holidays with a little spirit and a lot of patience.
Know what to expect. Does Aunt Martha always bug you about getting married? Will your brother once again brag about his high-paying job? Plan your response in advance to situations that cause your blood to boil. Also, think of ways to handle conflict among other family members. Change the subject, crack a joke or have your partner step in [...] Continue Reading…
