By Guest Author Carew Papritz
UPDATE: This program took place in 2020 and has now concluded.
National Thank You Letter Day takes place on November 14th during the month in which we as a country remember to give thanks.
Taking place one week before Thanksgiving, “National Thank You Letter Day” is to remind us of the simple and powerful act of sending a letter of thanks to someone we care about or love who has affected our lives.
What is National Thank You Letter Day?
This day celebrates the timeless values of kindness and manners, civility and gratitude as revealed in the simple act of writing a handwritten Thank You letter. We celebrate this day by writing a thank you letter to someone in your family or a close friend that you would like to thank for any reason–large or small.
Veteran’s Day is on November 11th, a few days before National Thank You Letter Day. Send a letter to someone in the military thanking them for their service. (Soldiers still love to receive letters!)
Write someone in your community that you admire who has personally helped you or others. This is a wonderful way to teach kids about the importance of giving back to their community.
How to Celebrate This Year’s National Thank You Letter Day
This year, instead of creating the World’s Largest Thank You Letter, Envelope, & Stamp, we’re giving the world’s biggest thanks to all the heroes who have kept us going through this extraordinary time: We are writing “Video Thank You Letters!”
How do You “Write” a Video Thank You Letter?
You first write a thank you letter by hand and then video the reading of it.
How Do I Send It?
You send it to your local hero as link or a post, or share it on your social media, or post it to the National Thank You Letter Day Facebook page.
Who are the Heroes?
These heroes can be anyone from doctors & nurses and first-responders, to teachers, postal carriers, grocery clerks, and delivery drivers. They also can also be your parents, grandparents, or any family member. They can be anyone special who has helped you or your family during this time of the pandemic in our lives.
Can Anyone Send a Video Thank You Letter?
Absolutely anyone of any age. Kids especially love to make letters and put pictures all over them. Even if they don’t know how to print, parents can help their kids write the letter and recite it out loud. Look at kindergartner Riley and her thank you letter video!
Why Even Write a Letter?
The beauty of a thank you letter shows the time you put into it, and this time is the gift you give to another person. Everyone appreciates a thank you letter no matter how you sent it. That’s the beauty of giving thanks and receiving thanks!
Can I Write the Thank You Letter before November 14th?
Yes! We are encouraging everyone to start writing and sending their letters now. The more people who post, the more people will find about out it and will want to send their thank you letters.
Can Anyone Post to the Facebook page for National Thank You Letter Day?
Yes, anyone. We want lots of people to share their stories! Click here to access the Facebook page.
Information & Free Resources that Students, Parents, & Teachers Can Use to Commemorate the 2020 Heroes
The best place for more information and resources about National Thank You Letter Day is to visit our website: www.NationalThankYouLetterDay.com
How to Teach Crucial Literacy & Communication Skills Through the Timeless Art of Writing a Thank You Note
Much like reading a book, the more you write the better you become at it. We’ve come to think of writing nowadays as school papers, e-mails, or instantaneous texts. But what you communicate in a letter, especially a thank you letter, is the gift of your time.
As I wrote in my book, The Legacy Letters, “Letters are real. They are made of paper and the paper holds the time that you place into the words. And the paper can be held. It is human-sized and made for hands to hold and touch—and feel. It is not electronic or made of electrons. And because letters are real, they can be saved and cherished for a long time. And you can always feel the person in the way they write—even long after they are gone. And that is a profound legacy to leave someone.”
The Importance of Gratitude During Turbulent Times
Wherever you are in this world, the timeless values embodied in a thank you letter—civility and manners, gratitude, and kindness—are universal.
Even during this pandemic time, as we are all somehow separated from those we love by the dictates of the virus, we can still carve out a moment to thank those who have helped us through this trying time.
Thus, the reason for this year’s National Thank You Letter Day— “Celebrating and Thanking the Heroes of 2020.” Part of the reason I started this national day was to introduce to children to the forgotten art, and importance, of writing a thank you letter. But curiously, by teaching children how to write such a letter, adults also became re-inspired to pick up this timeless act of gratitude.
Old-School Parenting Advice for the Modern Age
My advice for parents is that you can never say “thank you” and “please” enough to your children—and you can never remind them enough. When you say to your kids, “What do you say now?” for the 10,000th time, one day they will actually say it on their own. That’s when you know you’ve really done your job right! And that’s when you can introduce the thank you letter into their lives, if not sooner.
How Parents Can Take Advantage of Teachable Moments
I heard someone the other day lament that no one writes thank you letters anymore. My response: “Walk your talk,” or “Write your talk!”
All it takes is for you to write a thank you letter alongside your child. This will show them how important it really is. Explain to them why you’re writing a thank you letter and what it means to the other person. Then help them do the same. Kids also love to draw pictures along with their writing. Make it easy and make it fun for a great teachable moment.
RELATED: 10 Life Lesson My Mom Taught Me
How Schools can Take Part in this National Event
It’s very easy for schools to take part in this national event. As part of this Thanksgiving month, it’s very simple to incorporate the community act of gratitude with a thank you letter to someone important in their lives.
Teachers can explain why it’s important to write such a letter, especially during these momentous times, and give a thank you letter handout (that can be downloaded or printed from the website) for students to take home to their parents. If they parents choose to video their kids’ reading the letters and posting it, so much the better. The more classes and kids involved, the more we “thanks” we bring to the world.
About Guest Author Carew Papritz:
Carew Papritz is an educational thought-leader, literacy advocate, and author of the multi-award-winning book, The Legacy Letters. Through his YouTube videos (including the I Love to Read series), his First-Ever Book Signings, and events (such as creating National Thank You Letter Day and the World’s Largest Thank You Letter), Papritz spreads the love of reading, learning, and civility to people of all ages.
Papritz has made a global impact by being an advocate for literacy and teaching future generations about the importance of legacy. Papritz’s writings have been published in a number of media outlets including, The Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, First Time Parent Magazine, and Inc.
Community Helpers Thematic Unit & Lesson Plans – Bilingual
Teach your kids about our first responders and other community helpers in this exciting, rigorous two week thematic unit. Designed for preschool and pre-k, these ready-to-use lesson plans cover 10 days of vocabulary, writing, literacy, science, and social studies in both ENGLISH and SPANISH! There are vocab cards with bright, engaging graphics, recommended books, and ideas for ten classroom learning centers!
“Super cute unit on community helpers!”
Christine K.
