Writing a Thank You Letter When You Mean

“No, Thank You!”

Everyone receives inappropriate or un-usable gifts at one point or another. Everyone wants to give things we already have or things that the giver often finds extremely useful. But as we know, what is a treasure to one is not necessarily a treasure for another.

Think back to a time when you received a gift from a relative or friend that you didn’t exactly know what the gift was or for what it was used. Your great Aunt Mary is proudly sitting there, smiling at you as you hold her beautifully hand-knit lavender, mustard and lime green sweater with your name embroidered in pepto bismol pink on the front - - what do you do? what do you say?

Relax . . . no pressure . . . it was just a scary dream! However, your Mother (well, really your teacher) wants you to write a “thank you” letter to one person who gave you an odd gift.

Choose an unwanted or impractical gift that you have received and write a thank-you letter in the correct form that tastefully and graciously thanks the sender for the present. You should find something honestly nice and gracious to say about the gift - - but you may approach the assignment as an imaginative exercise with a touch of humor.

Have fun with the assignment!!! Be prepared to share you letters with the class.

Grading Scale:

40 points content of the letter

40 points grammar (2 points per error)