"Say Thank You"

I recently listened to a podcast where the speaker complained about giving gifts made from the depths of her heart. She did not even receive a simple thank you. That statement sent me down a serious thought spiral.

I, too, love making and giving gifts. I love surprising people with homemade gifts made from the depths of my heart.

I gifted one friend, named after a famous line of dolls, with an adorable little doll key chain. I "broke" into her place of business, snuck past receptionists and strangers and put the key chain in her mailbox. "Lalaloopsy" never acknowledged receipt of the gift, nor did she question where it came from. Wanting to remain anonymous,but still found it, I made sure that she saw that I had had the exact same key chain as the one that mysteriously showed up in her mailbox.She never said a word about it. I hoped she hadn't thought I was a stalker.

At school's end I love giving my children's teachers appreciation gifts. One year I filled a mason jar with Hershey kisses, crocheted a little Hershey kiss onto the top and snuck it into one teacher's car. This time I signed the names of my children."Hugs and Kisses from the Branches" read the card. She never once said thank you. Come on!

After that, I made crocheted Peruvian-styled hats for every student in my daughter's class. Granted her class was small but I crocheted day and night for days and nights! This time I made sure that my children told them that their mother had made the hats specifically for them. It didn't make me feel better that only one out of the 12 parents said "THANKS!".

I then questioned why I felt so compelled to give people things that they hadn't asked for. Just last week as I prattled off the list of crocheted gifts I was in the process of making as gifts, my son asked me something that had obviously been on his mind for a while.

"Don't you get tired of making so many gifts?" He asked

"Nope" I responded. "I need something to do."

"You don't care that you don't get paid?" He challenged

I am getting paid, I told him, in my soul. There is benefit in giving things with no strings attached.

"What if you run out of yarn?" Was his last postulation.

"I will NEVER run out of yarn!" I stated emphatically.

A simple THANK YOU does not fill the criteria of "strings attached". Saying thank you is polite and mannerly. If we lose that ability to vocally express gratitude for given objects then we have lost all of our humanity.

A recent post on Facebook by Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life told me why I felt compelled to give things, even if I'm not given so much as a simple THANK YOU in return.

Be The Type of Person You Want to Meet, said the post. That made things crystal clear.

I really wanted someone to break into my place of business and leave a secret gift for me! If they didn't go all out, as I tend to do, they could at least be mannerly and vocalize receipt of the efforts that was done in their honor. Say THANK YOU!


With that being said, I would like to finally say, Jane Doe, it was I who put the  cute doll key chain in your mailbox 12 years ago! PHEW! Feels good to finally say that!

Don't worry, now that she knows I gave it, I can hear her say it.

THANK YOU!