If you’re including a thank-you gift, note it in the card. A simple “I hope you enjoy the flowers” or “I hope this little gift brightens your day” is great. Keep it casual.

The article about the loss of writing thank-you notes discusses another lost art. During COVID, I wrote letters to my grandchildren several times a week, in print form, not in cursive.

Weston suggests following a simple formula when crafting your thank-you messages. Start by expressing your gratitude, then specifically mention the gift and how you plan to use or enjoy it.

A note or even a gift seems so inadequate for what friends have done for us. In one case, some friends hosted my husband when he was cleaning out his mother’s house, hours from home.

(Between us, I will admit that my favorite gifts are notes of appreciation from students and parents.) In return, I have always taken the time to write careful and personal thank-you notes for ...

(Between us, I will admit that my favorite gifts are notes of appreciation from students and parents.) In return, I have always taken the time to write careful and personal thank-you notes for ...

Give a not-so-subtle hint . If straight talk doesn’t work, be bold. The next gift could come with a box of thank-you cards.

A “thank you” card or note arrives in the mailbox, along with bills and all the advertising supplements, like a glistening jewel in a pan of dull rocks.

Rather than gold, however, a simple thank-you letter, written even years after you graduate, will do the job. I write from personal experience, as I was just visited by three of my former players ...