Old-fashioned custom is still the best way to say ‘thanks!’
DEAR ABBY: I was taught to write handwritten thank-you notes when I received a gift. Over the last few years, my gifts have been acknowledged with a brief text, Facebook post, a photo or not at all. I enjoy giving gifts, but the lack of response I receive from today’s younger folks leaves me feeling frustrated and dismissed. Must I adapt my expectations to a new normal in etiquette? -- MANNERLY MISTER IN TENNESSEE DEAR MANNERLY MISTER: The topic of thank-you notes is one of the most common complaints I get from readers. While there’s no excuse for not acknowledging a gift, you may be judging those writers harshly. Although handwritten thank-you notes are the “gold standard,” many folks today opt to take a shortcut by using technology that didn’t exist before the quill and inkwell.