To me, the phrase “thank you” acknowledges that someone did something for you that maybe didn’t have to happen. However, this short phrase seems absent from daily vernacular as more people feel entitled to acts of kindness. When I was growing up, “please” and “thank you” were part of my everyday life. Now, they seem like outdated practices.
For example, when someone was about to experience a big event in their life (e.g., a wedding, graduation, the birth of a child, etc.), the person being celebrated would forward invitations or announcements to friends and family. In turn, those invited would bring or send a gift, and the recipient would likely write/provide/send a written “thank you” note. However, this practice seems to have fallen by the wayside.
I understand times have changed, and invitations and “thank you” notes are no longer handwritten; they’re mostly sent electronically. However, you should still send a thank-you note to a gift giver, whether by email or text message. At my house, the rules are: if you are invited, send a gift, even if you can’t attend the event; if you don’t receive a thank-you, that’s the last gift. To me, that’s the least a gift receiver can do because no one owes you anything, and a simple “thank you” costs very little compared to the time and effort someone put into providing you with a gift to support your celebration. And that’s….JUST MY TWO CENTS.