Saying Thank You in a Covid World
By Bethan Lloyd
To quote Billy Joel, ‘the times they are a-changing’.
It’s been a strange old year, full of highs and lows, new experiences and a sense of groundhog days. As restrictions begin to lift and the sun begins to shine, it feels like a good time to pause and take stock: to say thank you to those who’ve been our support, our bubbles, our lifelines during these past few months.
(Of course, every day is a good day to take time to say thank you!)
To help get your thanking juices flowing, we’ve come up with some ideas for you!
Remember: when you’re saying thank you to someone, it’s important to think about their personality and how they would like to be thanked; you might be the master of the social media post, but will they appreciate it?
Saying thank you…
Words:
This is the most obvious place to start – actually saying those two little words!
- Write a note, send a letter or a card – do you get excited when a handwritten envelope lands on your doormat?
- Send a text: why not send a spontaneous message to say thank you to someone today?
- If writing isn’t your thing, why not make time to say thank you in person? Or perhaps get creative and make a video?
- If social media is your thing, you could make a post and say thank you publicly? Remember not everyone uses social media so make sure they can see it!
- How about the strangers we see for moments in our everyday lives? Take the time to make sure you say thank you to your bus driver, cashier, postie or server; it can really brighten their day.
Lend a hand:
Keep the current restrictions in mind: let’s continue to keep everyone safe. Lending a hand is a great way to say thank you by sharing their load and giving them a break.
For those in different households,
- Give them a hand with the gardening or wash their car
- Offer to do a shopping run for them
- Offer to walk their dog
- Perhaps you’ve received help from an organisation or charity; you could say thank you by volunteering! Why not check out our How You Can Help page and join the team?
For those in the same household or bubble:
- Get to their chores before they do: it would be a brilliant surprise!
- Cook their favourite meal without telling them it’s coming
- Offer to babysit for your bubble to give parents a chance to head out for a date night
- It might be finally getting round to that job you’ve been putting off!
Your time:
Time is one of our most precious assets:
- Plan a Friend Night: head out for a drink or meal, or grab some blankets and set up camp in the garden for the evening. Plan some games and have some fun – bonus points for bringing their favourite snacks!
- Head out for a one-on-one walk: enjoy each other’s company at an unhurried pace.
- Plan a date night for your partner: if you’re more comfortable staying at home you can still dress up, cook something delicious or order their favourite takeaway and make it a special evening.
- Plan something fun to do together when restrictions are lifted further
Gifts:
- A gift isn’t about the price tag, it’s about how well you know someone. A gift bag with their favourite drink, biscuits and chocolate, for example, is a great way to show someone you know and love them.
- If you’re a creative type, you could make something! If art isn’t your thing, why not have a go at baking some cookies?
- Get the kids involved! If someone has supported you as a family, grab some colours and get your kids to create a brilliant thank you card to go with a box of chocolates.
Bonus idea!
Pay it forward! If someone has done something kind for you, you can help make the world a brighter place by paying it forward and doing something kind for someone else.