Picture this: It’s January, in the aftermath of the holiday season. Pure chaos — your little cousins are darting in and out of the house. Presents are overflowing the dining table, stacked on top of a pile of college applications you’re racing to finish by the Jan. 15 deadline. The last thing on your mind is doing something so ancient that you might need a typewriter: writing a thank-you note.
As a society, we’ve become allergic to saying thank you unless it’s to someone who opened the door for you or handed you a gift wrapped in shiny paper and tissue. We need to start recognizing those around us for their everyday contributions, such as help with homework or even a midnight FaceTime with your best friend. Simply put, we don’t say thank you enough. Personally, the easiest and most meaningful way to express gratitude is by writing a thank-you card.
I know, thank-you cards might feel obsolete, tedious and like they have no impact at all. But I’m here to tell you that they definitely hit harder than a liked DM. All in all, thank-you cards, especially handmade ones, are a vital part of everyday culture. They provide something tangible in our current digital world and convey genuine gratitude. In a society filled with premade gift baskets and gift cards, digitalization reduces our means of expressing emotion to others.
While thank you cards might seem insignificant, psychological research has proven the value in both giving and receiving thank you cards. Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science, found that expressing gratitude through a handwritten note boosts positive emotions and well-being for both the sender and the recipient of the stated appreciation.
Eventually, the recipient of a thank-you card might be inspired to send one as well. According to Psychology Today, this “ripple effect” can inspire even more gratitude, rather than just a heartfelt message. And because the gesture has become so rare today, its emotional impact is even stronger.
Physical thank-you notes are both personal and impossible to ignore. If someone gives you a thank-you note, you receive a personalized letter that they handcrafted specially for you. Unlike texts or emails that get consumed by the digital void of your Gmail inbox, these cards actually get kept. Whether it be in a closet, desk drawer, or in my case, stacked on the crowded shelves of my room, they’re stored in a safe place. Getting a thank-you note is a unique gesture. Somebody actually remembered your name, spelled it correctly and wrote meaningful words in a society that often feels meaningless.
Some may argue that thank-you cards take too much time. But, to find a card and then write one paragraph with a couple of stars on the border takes only ten minutes. It’s so easy! Most of the time, we just doomscroll on Instagram reels rather than actually taking the time to thank people for the daily tasks that they do. In a goal-oriented, work-centric culture that is DVHS, expressing gratitude is underutilized, and that needs to change. At Dougherty, everyone already knows the high-achieving school culture that often inhibits emotions and everyday acts of appreciation. But one shift in this academic mentality, including embracing emotional expression, can make daily life less transactional and more intentional.
Others might also claim that “texts or emails are good enough.” But if we say everything would be “good enough,” we would be unable to reach beyond our means.
As the holiday season approaches, try to write one thank-you note before the end of the year; it could be for your mom, teacher, or even . . . It’s that simple. If we (all 8.2 billion of us) write one thank-you note, that’s 8.2 billion people spreading their gratitude and making one more person smile. So, as you sit at your desk, finishing winter break AP homework, just remember: Everything starts with a single letter.
