Here are a few questions I have received on the art of expressing thanks after publishing some other posts on the subject:

Question: Is it appropriate to hand-deliver a thank you note?

ktcosmos’ reply: Long ago, couriers and footmen delivered thank yous. They were met at the front door by butlers who then relayed them on a silver tray to the intended recipient. Today, I am guessing that etiquette recommends posting your message, but I say that a sincerely written note can be delivered in any way that works best for the sender.

Question: What should I say in a high school thank you note?

ktcosmos’ reply: Not sure if the asker intended to thank teachers for jobs well done or thank those who honored him/her with graduation gifts. The answer is always the same though: be sincere and give a specific example of what you are thanking someone for. Perhaps it was a teacher who always gave extra effort that you noticed. Or, if a gift, something that shows that the giver knows and cares about you.

Question: Can I have someone send out thank you notes on my behalf?

ktcosmos’ reply: Now, I am presuming the asker is a business person who intends to delegate the task of writing thank you notes to someone else. (If I am incorrect and the asker is a bride who wants to have her mom or someone else handle this, shame on you!)

I may take a beating on this, but here’s what I think. Writing thank yous is a DIY job.

If you believe you are so busy that you do not have time to write your own thank you notes, I would admonish you that you are way out of line. Thank you notes, whether in business or personal life, are intimate expressions of gratitude for kindnesses extended to you by others, who found time in THEIR busy lives. No one is too busy to be able to execute that gesture on their own.

If you are writing a thank you (or having your designée do that for you) just as a way to suck up and get ahead, that’s equally lame.

Additional resources on writing your thank yous:

• www.PrescottWeddings.com‘s Miss SOS can clear up and questions about thank yous related to wedding and shower gifts.

• Susan Ireland has some perfect business-related thank you samples on this part of her site, www.SusanIreland.com. Examples include writing to say thanks for interviews, job offers, rejections (yes, rejections! at least you were given the time of day and honored with a formal response!), informational interview, and to friends who helped with your job search. You’ll also find helpful video how-tos on Susan’s site.

• Susan’s blog, The Job Lounge, also has some great information on business situations requiring thank yous. My favorite is the “Good News” letter. Check it, and the video treatment on that, here.

Speaking of this, read some related posts elsewhere on Loosely Speaking:

Thank you one and all: giving credit where it’s due

Thank You Notes: Do You or Don’t You?

More on Thank You Notes Expressions of Appreciation

April Series: Answering the Question: Do I have to write thank you notes for graduation gifts?

End note: Just had a little surgery this a.m. and am not supposed to operate heavy equipment. Does that include my laptop??