That's a wrap!

"The letter you write, whether you realize it or not, is always a mirror which reflects your appearance, taste and character." - Emily Post

As we all try to get back in the swing of things after the holidays, turn the corner on 2020, and start the new year off on the right foot, it's important to remember to write and send out thank you notes to all of those who made the holidays more special for us.

While thank you notes are to be mailed within the week, a late thank you note is better than no thank you note at all. But it's best to send your note soon after receiving a gift so that the gift-giver is not left wondering if the gift package ever arrived.

To be honest, ours were a bit late going out this year; we even have a few more to go! We are mortified! You see, we ran out of our personal stationery and were waiting for the shipment to arrive! And we should have known better, especially as one of our key pieces of advice on thank you notes is to make sure you have everything you need - before you need it. That means having stationery and an ample supply of stamps within reach. Keep them in your nightstand, at your desk or somewhere else within easy reach. And another golden nugget of advice is to pre-address envelopes if you know you'll be sending them during the holidays. For example, if you exchange gifts with a regular group of friends, colleagues and family - pre-address and stamp your envelops so the only thing left to do is write a few heartfelt lines of appreciation, seal and mail. The key with this last tip is to make sure you don't misplace the envelopes in the meantime.

As the Emily Post quote recognizes, the letters we write do reflect on our appearance, taste and character. Both in the words written and the paper on which they are written.

Does your stationery choice reflect well on you? What works for your friend or work colleague or boss may not work for you. Picking stationery is rather personal, or it should be. When selecting stationery it's important that it dovetail with your own personal brand. Your stationery should reflect a bit of your personality - even if you are using it for business correspondence. With the endless choices in selection (correspondence cards, letter sheets, fold notes or embossed notes), color, font and design, you can find stylish stationery that works for both business and personal use. Personally, we love correspondence cards because they are versatile and chic and do the trick no matter what message we are writing. Or you may opt to purchase two types of stationery - one for personal use and one for business use.

Whichever route you take, buy the highest quality paper you can afford. And then spread your notes of kindness and thanks around to everyone like confetti.

Wouldn't a marvelous new year's resolution be to send one handwritten note or card every month to someone? You'll develop a wonderful habit that will take your thank you from routine to remarkable and those who receive your notes will feel appreciated. Sounds marvelous to us.

Have a wonderful weekend -