In Wired World, Handwritten 'Thank You' Still Tops

NPR

Published June 22, 2006 at 11:16 AM EDT

Even if you say "thank you" by e-mail, it's best to follow up with a handwritten note, says etiquette expert Peggy Post.

For many, summer is a time of transition: weddings, graduations, job interviews. And that means it's also a season for thank-you notes.

In today's world, e-mail has replaced snail mail as the preferred mode for much communication. But etiquette expert Peggy Post and Judy Gilbert, Google's director of staffing programs, both agree that a handwritten note is still the best way to say "thank you." They talk to Michele Norris about what's proper and what's not -- and offer advice on pitfalls to avoid.