The benefits and bonuses of saying ‘thank you”...
This morning at The Oak & Rope Company HQ we received a phone call from a customer asking us to check if a gift had been sent and signed for as received as she had never received a “thank you” from the recipient. And this was from several months ago.
This set us thinking.
We decided unanimously that it is never, ever, too late to say thank you.
And saying thank you can take many shapes and forms.
It can be having received a lovely gift, for a birthday or anniversary or other celebration, where a phone call, email or preferably a letter would probably suffice.
But also the value of a thank you gift is huge. We all know how much work and effort goes into entertaining, be it a party or having friends to stay for the weekend, and for your guests to arrive with a special personalised gift, in anticipation and recognition of that hospitality, is both unexpected and hugely welcome.
We can’t all be that well organised and the value of a post-party gift is just as meaningful. It also gives the sender time to assess what the recipient lacks or might need having spent time in their home. Or of course it could just be a little extra something that they never-knew-they-needed- until-they-got-one.
A gift can also be given in recognition and gratitude for a small or large act of kindness or thoughtfulness, with a wonderful surprise element for the recipient.
The concept of gratitude has always been a form of human interaction. Demonstrating respect and gratitude is a sign of good manners and promotes feelings of warmth and well-being.
Gift giving amongst humans started with cavemen offering simple items to prove their ability to provide for a family. It also engendered respect since the giving of gifts suggested power and success. Tribe leaders would often give gifts to a person who had accomplished something great for their tribe, showing appreciation and reward for their achievement. Typical gifts amongst cavemen where teeth and stones, carved and given as keepsakes.
The ancient civilisations of Egypt, Greece and Rome gave and received gifts of food and jewellery, and during the Middle Ages romantic gifts like love songs and personalised garments became popular.
Whist the nature of gift giving has changed across the centuries and differs across cultures, the reasons why people give gifts has remained the same. It is a way of expressing our gratitude to those who are important to us and is a way of showing our appreciation. Gift giving strengthens personal ties and creates memories of happy occasions. Studies have shown that people tend to feel happier about their own lives when they are able to give something special, improving the giver’s state of mind as well as benefitting the receiver.
So it goes without saying that it can never be too late to show your appreciation for a good deed, a happy occasion or a celebration. In fact sometimes a late thank you can remind and remake the memories of that happy time just exactly when its needed.
