to pre write birthday present thank you letters and put in the goody bag on the day?

[BirdFromDaNorf]

Have made homemade peppa pig thank you letters for our 3 year old's party. 32 children coming - 25 families in total.

AIBU to write "Dear (and fill in name by hand) Thank you very much for coming to my party. It was lovely to see you and play together. Thank you for my present. I will open it on Wednesday when I sing my ?on the day Happy Birthday with my mummy and daddy and little bubba XXX.?
See you soon, lots of love, XXX xxxx

I work 50 hours a week, and think I'm doing well to manage a birthday party. It would take me so long to get to thank you letters and don't want to be rude or tardy in getting them to people, so I thought if I did this, it was better than not doing it.

DH thinks it's a great idea. BF says people will appreciate it as are friends who know how many hours I'm working at the moment.

What do you think? AIBU?

Just seen that you've printed them - you should definitely hand write them in my opinion.

DS was given a party bag with a thank you note in it at a child's fifth birthday. It was a few days before nursery broke up for summer and a lot of the kids wouldn't see each other again. I thought it was lovely, it didn't have thanks for my present just a thanks for attending and a reminder of mum's phone number and email to keep in touch. If you will see everyone again then I'd keep them for later.

Hellbent - that is a lovely note.

I like to put more effort into mine.

For each letter we like to decorate the edges with something to give it a framing effect, something like pressed flowers, or maybe cotton wool at Christmas. Or eggshell at Easter.

At DS's last party, which had a 17th century pirate theme we soaked the paper in tea beforehand for several hours to give it a really authentic feel, and then got an aunt who is good a calligraphy to write the notes in an old-fashioned style.

DS usually likes to sign them, but we didn't let him on those ones as it would have looked out of place (he's only five and his handwriting is OK for his age but still messy).

I try to make sure I mention the specific present the guest has given, including one or more comment about my child's feelings about the present and if possible linking it to something I know about the giver. Where I don't know the giver well I have to resort to a generic comment, but I feel this is impersonal so I do my best to avoid this.

I also like to include a photo of my child playing with/reading/holding the present. My sister spitefully said the last photo I sent her looked like a "photo of a kidnap victim holding a recent newspaper to prove he was still alive" which I though was really out of order. In DS's defence the photo she got was taken near the end of a session where I took about thirty photos for thank you letters so he was shattered, and my sister doesn't have kids so doesn't appreciate how hard it can be to make them pose nicely. I've heard from other parent who said it was a lovely touch.

I make sure never to say if I've returned or regifted the gift. Even though parents know it happens I don't feel it's appropriate ina thanks you letter, and in this instance a white lie is acceptable.

I hope you can use some of these ideas to make your thank you letter special.

I wouldn't mention unopened gift. If it only was a thank-you for coming, that would be ok.
Why not just wait and send them out after the gifts are opened?
I have never written or received a thank-you more for someone attending a party btw, the grab bags are supposed to be the thank-you.

sally, PLEASE tell me you are taking the proverbial?

Is Sally Anthea in disguise??

I have had note in bag - was fine with it. I have done note in bag (very generic thank you, no mention of present).

Lol @ Sally .

I'm hoping you're taking the piss.....

I strongly suspect Sally knows me and that's why 'she' has written it. Sally has come on here and found my thread. To help me get perspective and take the mickey out of me.

I phoned Sally to moan that I'd gone on Mumsnet and lots of people had said I was BU - I didn't think and did the letters BEFORE posting!! If I'd done it the other way around, I probably wouldn't have done anything at all given the feedback and lack of time available to me for this project. But now that I've already done the naffing things, I'm doing to hand them out and make a feature of it and a new trend where we live....

Having said that, Sally is much funnier than me . Sally and family are also attending on Sunday and will no doubt make a fandango about whatever I do or don't give out to embarass me!! At least it's given us all something to laugh at!

Next year, goody bag and nowt else but a thank you on the day. And I won't mention number of attendees in the future either as that's an entirely different thread!

Thank you and Goodnight x

Lol at Sally.

Well, op you can look forward to Sally's thankyou letters from now on knowing how much effort is put into each lovingly crafted one.

Actually, I'd get Sally to create your thankyou letters this time. 32 of them should keep her quiet and off mn for a while

I wouldn't put a letter into the party bags. Especially after last year when one of the guests didn't bring a present (which is perfectly fine) to dd's party. I'd have been really had they had a letter in their party bag in case it made them feel bad.

lol @ sally. sorry but I'd have the letter thrown out in the bin, seems such a shame to make such an effort yet loads of people will just chuck the thank you letters away...

a personal thank you on the day is good enough really. saves on paper IMHO.

Hard to believe not everyone believed me.

I look forward to my pre-written thank you letter.