Perhaps I just have poor taste....???

If the present is handed over in person I don't expect more than a verbal thank you. Otherwise I would like to know that it actually arrived safely. A text or phone call is fine, a note or card a pleasant surprise.

The thank yous that seem least likely to be sent are those for wedding presents, especially from lists. I suspect the happy couple have so much going on that they may get confused re who sent what. Maybe John Lewis etc. should offer a Thank You service.

It was gratifying to visit a friend I'd not seen for decades and have her tell me that the stainless steel tea set I gave her and her husband as a wedding present in the early '60s had been in daily use ever since. I'd forgotten sending it and am now struggling to recall more than a few of the many other wedding presents I've sent over the years!

I hate bad manners, but experience it regularly when GDs fail to acknowledge gifts by sending a 'thank you' card to their aunties who have remembered their birthdays. We were always brought up to write a note or card, as were my children, but unfortunately some things are just taken for granted. It's very sad!

sazz1 Funny present. I wonder what he was thinking. Perhaps he had no money and looked in his mums kitchen cupboard. lol.

I hate that ingratitude, rudeness and uncaring attitude of some people. I remember at school when we were six, being taught to always say please and thank you.

Bought daughter's long term boyfriend a shirt and a bottle of gin for his birthday. Also sent a text wishing him a happy birthday. No reply or acknowledgment what so ever. Also for Xmas he bought me a jar of coffee nothing special just 100g nescafe which I do use but seems strange lol

A thank you is always the right thing to do, why would you not want to acknowledge a gift you had been given!? Just plain rudeness to do otherwise and especially with today's technology, no excuse at all to not send a quick thank you

Linen napkins are nice for visitors. But I often wonder when I watch programmes like Downton Abbey about the amount of laundering involved in using them for every meal. Paper napkins for me ( I do have some nice Fortnum and Mason ones ?)

Oh my goodness GG I am glad that I don't have to buy you any gifts. I LOVE being bought flowers and I don't mind what type they are - all are welcome.
Also I don't wish to sound unkind but those pale pink, heart trimmed, linen napkins would be gratefully received by me (because I am polite) but, probably, put away in a drawer, never to see the light of day again. In my house we use paper napkins/kitchen paper depending how posh we are feeling!

No MawBroon, it's nothing to do with your taste. Thank you letters and cards have gone the way of bus conductors, park keepers and cotton handkerchiefs, or indeed that Parrot - they are no more.
Let it go and don't take it to heart. You could consider lowering the gift level for folks who don't show appreciation and treat yourself instead.

Freddie's Flowers looks lovely GabriellaG but quite a luxury. Pity they don't do one off gift flowers.

My gd always thanks me when I send her a gift, but not my gs. I let it go for a while, then sent a Facebook message to him saying simply "People who never say thank you may find that they no longer receive things to be thankful for." Five minutes later the message came back, "Thank you for the gift, Grandma." He has never forgotten since then!

I prefer to buy my own flowers as I know the colours and type I prefer. I have them delivered from Freddie's Flowers (London)
They arrive in a huge cardboard box with tissue to protect the heads and stems and an online video shows the best arrangement.
If I'm sending flowers to others, I find out their preferences beforehand however, on birthdays I tend to buy an item I know they want (most people send flowers and you can have too many)
The last birthday gift I bought was a set of 6 pale pink linen napkins with hearts round the edges from One World. They were so nice I bought a set for myself.

Yes, if it is true. End of.

jalima, is it good manners to say other people don't have manners?

[gasp]
up pops "70th birthday gifts ideas for her"

Gransnet - are you spying on us?

It's not you MawBroon, it's manners that are lacking today, even amongst those of us who were taught to send thank you letters.

I'm not worried about thanks either, which is strange, because I'm a stickler for manners in everything else.
I think its because I don't enjoy buying gifts.. so I'm fairly lukewarm about the whole thing.
I'm just relieved I've 'done my bit'; whether people choose to squander the money, or don't like their present, I'm really not that bothered.

Think I'm going against the grain here, but I never expect to be thanked for a gift unless I give it in person, and even then a quick thank you will do. Don't know why I'm different to everyone else on here in this respect, I wrote thank you letters as a child like many of you.

Having read all these posts I feel embarrassed to say that I actively dislike being given presents. I genuinely dont want anything. I have all I need and more. I feel huge gratitude if friends call me, suggest meet ups, invite me to visit or indeed agree to visit me, but I would much rather presents were not involved. We dont exchange Christmas presents or birthday presents in the family. If we visit friends for a meal, or go to stay, we take a bottle of wine and a bunch of flowers and our friends do the same when they come to us, but that's about it.

GabriellaG What a lovely thoughtful friend.

I sent cheques to each of my Godchildren when they got married even though I wasn't invited to their weddings. I know they received them because the cheques were paid in, but not a word of acknowledgment let alone thanks. The same happened last year when I sent a cheque for the wedding of the daughter of a good friend. Sigh .....

Thank you everyone for the Birthday wishes, very kind of you all and thank you so much for the buns and cake, going down well with the wine and the flowers are blooming lovely! ? xx

One DD was married to an Irishman so in time there were first holy communions for the children with a party afterwards we were told money would be the preferred present. When my ex complained to my DD about nobody receiving thank yous or letters her reply was the Irish dont send thank you letters.???? She hasnt been with him for the last 20 years so I don't know what the excuse for not saying thanks is now. I did start putting money into my GGC savings accounts and even though I informed the parents no thanks was forthcoming so am stopping now. My other grandchildren have always said thank you or sent a message saying thanks. I do agree that presents are considered special anymore as most times if someone wants something they buy it whereas before it might have been kept in mind so when Mum or someone else asked us what we would like for birthday or Christmas we could mention that

I received a Bloom & Wild letterbox bouquet for my birthday. I hadn't come across them before. It was beautiful, lasted ages and I too sent a picture to the sender with a note of thanks. It was all the more unexpected as I'm not 70 until next year!

Kateykrunch happy birthday. I make a mean birthday cake here’s a slice especially for you ?

Kateykrunch happy birthday