What IYO is the acceptable timing for baby/shower 'thank you'?

VivaAmore

I think 3 months. Of course there are exceptions (PP issues, NICU babies, etc.) but for a normal birth and healthy baby, I think any more than 3 months starts to show that you're not thankful for the gift.

It doesn't even have to be formal either - you could at least send an email.

Brewster

I really don't get the fuss about thank you cards.  If someone verbally thanks me, that is enough for me.  I always tell my friends not to write me one.  I know they appreciate the gifts I give them. 

kittycarr

IMO, no thank you's don't me you're not grateful.  I agree that it's appropriate to send but I have to admit to being very bad about sending them.  I have lacked sending thank you's so many times and I feel bad for it but I am totally grateful for everything.  You may think it's just an excuse but in my twisted head, being as forgetful as I am about so many things, if it's out of the normal routine, it's just not something I think about so the lack of sending thank you's on my part is because that since it's not something routinely done, I forget about it.  By the time I think about it, it's way too late and I feel it makes me appear to only be doing it because that's what is expected, not doing it out of gratitude....if that makes any sense.

TxGal

I really appreciate TY notes and I think 3 months is more than enough time. I would say 1 month is plenty unless there are issues like you mentioned.

mamarazzi

Whew!  I still haven't sent out thank-yous for Andersen's gifts.  I've gotten some out, but not all...

I really don't understand why thank-you notes are necessary if the recipient verbally thanks the gift giver.  I'd personally much rather my friends just told me "thank you" than have them send me a note.  I think thank-yous are a nice gesture, but I don't expect them...especially for gifts I give for babies' births.  I know all too well how hard it is to find the time one-handed to write a stack of notes, find addresses and get them in the mail in those first few weeks.  I know the parents appreciate the gifts.

Eddy1

I don't care about thank yous so even if I didn't recieve one I probably wouldn't notice. My own rule is a week just because I want to get them done and sent out.

snickerdoodle27

For a baby shower, I think within the first few months is fine. My son was born a week after my shower, a month early, and I got them done maybe a month or so after. I wasn't one who could "nap when the baby naps" so I'd work on them when he was snoozing in his bouncer. I did a few here and there. It actually made me feel like I was accomplishing something!

VivaAmore

I can somewhat agree that a personal/intimate, verbal TY is sufficient in some cases but I still think it's not that hard to write a little note or email to follow it up. Most people put a lot of thought into their gifts and I think they like to hear that the person receiving it recognizes their efforts. 

I didn't get a written OR a verbal TY for 2 gifts that I gave a friend the middle of last year. One for the shower that I wasn't able to attend, but sent a nice gift anyway, and another for the baby along with some frozen meals. I can see that I care more about TYs that some (it's just the way I was raised) but I just don't see that it's all that hard to say something. I probably wont put that much money or effort into future gifts because of it.

xbrooklyngrl

T, people suck. I've learned that!

katie277s

Well I would like to say 1 month, but I know that my wedding thank you's took me like 4 months to get them all finished.  I was totally slacking on that part. 

Ideally, I think 2-3 months would be ok.