I don’t know about you, but I get a thrill when my mailbox includes “real” mail with hand-addressed envelopes and pretty stamps, not just catalogues and advertising (which go immediately in my recycle bin.)
Teachers, librarians and booksellers are no different. A simple card that says “thanks” for what they do gives their day a boost. And it shows you’ve gone the extra step to acknowledge their efforts to connect kids with good books.
I know that the holidays are fast approaching and you have much to do for your personal circle of friends and family. But before schools dismiss for winter vacation around December 19, why not take a moment and thank school visit hosts and booksellers from this past year for inviting you to their schools and stores. Send a holiday card. And if you miss them in December, a “Happy New Year” card when they return to school would be a nice surprise. Your simple “gift” of thanks in your own handwriting will mean a lot to them.
Hi Alexis! I usually send out Christmas cards to all the schools I’ve visited for the school year, and I also send them to all the schools who have me booked for upcoming school visits. The schools seem to love this. I also send Christmas cards to the schools I’ve visited the previous year, too, just to let them know I’m thinking of them. Of course, if I do a lot of school visits in one year, that’s a LOT of cards, but here lately school visits have gone down in numbers. In my heyday of speaking, one school year I spoke to 89 schools (yes–it was a LOT of speaking that year) but now my speaking has gone down due to lack of author-visit funding for most schools and LMSs being so busy that they don’t have time for author visits–really sad. Now a days, schools seem to spend all their time teaching for the tests, rather than relaxing and enjoying a good book! But thank goodness for the schools who do book me as this is how I make my living! I love visiting schools and meeting the kids….so much fun!
Wow, Darlene – I’ll bet you surprised lots of folks and giave them a little lift. Thanks for sharing.
Darleen! Yikes – I misspelled your name in my reply. My apologies. (Now, if I only had an address, I could send you a “sorry” card.)