Doing a nice thing for someone is its own reward. They benefit and you benefit with the feeling that you’ve helped someone in need. Still, that shouldn’t stop you from finding ways to say thank you to those who have gone the extra mile for you in some way. After all, it’s our friends and those kind souls who take the time out of their day to help that make days a little bit brighter.
- Send a Handwritten Letter. Going old school can be surprisingly refreshing. Writing out your appreciation to someone for their kind words or actions and sending it via postal (snail) mail is a retro way to express gratitude. Grab an elegant set of thank you cards from a dollar store and put pen to paper – and you’ve just made someone’s day.
- Create a YouTube Video. It seems like everyone is making videos these days. And while you don’t have to be perfect or even a little bit skilled at it, making a YouTube video to say thank you to someone is easy, free and you’ll have a bit of fun with it. And, who knows, you might just discover that you have a hidden talent!
- Send an Egift Card. Sending egift cards to your special person is fast, easy, and will surely bring a broad smile to their face. You can text or email the egift card and you’ll have thousands of stores to choose from. Balances and purchases can be tracked online so they won’t have to worry about losing or mismanaging funds.
- Deliver Homemade Baked Goods. There’s nothing quite like sitting down and having a bite of delectable chocolate cakes or ooey, gooey homemade chocolate chip cookies. Take an hour or two out of your day to put a basket of baked goods together (a variety if you’re able to) then deliver it to their doorstep with a smile!
- Pay it Forward. Sometimes we don’t even know the person who acted kindly toward us. Maybe it was someone who paid for your coffee in front of you or donated to a charity of your choosing in your name. The best way to show gratitude in these cases is by ‘paying it forward.’ You can choose how that looks to you – is it paying for the person in the drive thru behind you? Donating to another charity? Volunteering somewhere? Keep the good will going!
- Make Them a Gift Bag. A homemade gift bag is just the thing to say thank you to friends and family members who have offered their assistance. Use a bag or a basket, line it with shredded paper or colorful tissue, and fill it with goodies like snacks, chocolates, fun socks, exotic coffees, small candles, and just about anything you can think of that will help express your gratitude.
- Create Custom Wine Labels. The fun of a customized label is that you can make it any way you want to. There are a plethora of sites online that assist with this – and you can make labels for fancy glass soda bottles, sparkling grape juice bottles, and just about any other beverage bottles you can think of. A great way to show off your creative skills and say thank you at the same time!
- Send a Beautiful Bouquet. Whatever time of year it is, having a bouquet of flowers in the home is rejuvenating, elegant, and good for the soul. If you know what types of flowers your thank-you-target adores, than you can find those and supplement (ask the florist) with smaller decorative blooms. If you don’t know what they like, you can’t ever go wrong with yellow roses, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, and daisies.
- Call Them! Technology is meant to bring people closer together but at the end of the day, it has really served to push us apart. There are so many ways to ‘get around’ actually talking with one another – a great way to say thank you and show your appreciation would be to give that person a call and have a conversation. Our phones can do practically anything, let’s not forget their number one function!
- Offer an Ear. When someone does something nice to you, it makes sense to be there for them when they need it. Simply by saying to them, “I appreciate you what you did for me. I’d like to return the favor sometime. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.” Offering this to someone can sometimes be the highlight of their day and lift them up when they are feeling down.
The power of ‘thank you’ reigns supreme. It’s a way for people to bond with one another and to be grateful for what they have received. Never underestimate the power of a simple ‘thank you’ whenever someone puts you first.
Read: A Guide to Tweakvip.
