By B 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.