Ask Rosemary

Rosemary is our resident expert on party planning, party favors, fun recipes and great gift prize ideas.

If you would like to Ask Rosemary for ideas to help plan your next party please fill out our Inquiry Form detailing your information. Your question and Rosemary's response will be listed below within one week.

Next 10       

We are looking for a new Ask Rosemary. Interested candidates please email sherri@thankyouink.com
Rosemary, My husband passed away on December 3, 2007. I received flowers and plants from "The Board of Directors" and "Friends" from his company. I will be sending a card, but need some help. My husband was well known throughout the company and had many friends. I want to write more than a few sentences. I want the words to come from my heart, but also be professional. This is a very well known company in the United States.
	Dear Friends/Family, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the thoughtful gifts you sent. The flowers and plants truly brighten the room and lift my mood. I know Sam would appreciate your kind gestures. He spoke often of his friendships with his many co-workers; I know you all meant a great deal to him. Many of you expressed such beautiful sentiments that I have no trouble seeing why Sam enjoyed his work so much. Being surrounded by people like you was a large part of why Sam liked to go to work each day. Thank you all so much for your kind words, your generous gifts, and most of all, for your friendship with Sam. Knowing you will miss him too makes my burden a bit easier to bear. Sincere regards,
I just recently had a surprize 50th bithday party. I would like to send thankyou notes to everyone for attending and for the gifts. I'm not sure what to write or how to word them. I really need your help! Thanks, Debbie
	Belated Happy Birthday! You could write something like: Thank you for being here for my landmark celebration! I was surprised and delighted to see so many good friends gathered to celebrate my special occasion. I love all of you and appreciate your kindness. The world's a much better place with people like you in it.
Rosemary, I find "group" sympathy cards tacky. The manager of our office has just lost her mother. The office gets one card and they all put a note in it. I just find it terrible. This is not a birthday, this is not a celebration it is a death and I think that expression of sympathy is best left to each individual... for goodness sake, spring for the price of a card! Am I being too prickly?
	I hear what you are saying but if you look at it from the other side. How many of the people who sign the card know the deceased? The intent of expressing sympathy is still there. The comfort to the survivor is there. This is a very acceptable form of sending condolences. If you decide you want to send an individual card you can do so however, there is nothing wrong with sending a group card from an office.
I am searching for any information on giving my son a party graduation. He has had a difficult few years and this last year he received all A's and B's in 11 grade. He is not having to work full time and we decided that it would better for him to take the GED and he did and passed with flying colors. The problem now is I don't know how to send announcements and party invitations that would fit a GED....any help would be appreciated...thank you in advance.
	A graduation is a graduation. You could use: Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our son, John. He has completed his GED and we are very proud of him. Let's party! John has completede high school and we are very proud of his accomplishments.
Rosemary, A truly dear friend of mine passed away on July 4, 2007. The family ask me to be in charge of getting the largest public building we have in this town for the funeral services. In communicating with our County Council and our Sheriff and his department I was able to get everything we needed. I really feel compelled to send these two organizations a thank you letter. They went above and beyound the call to meet our needs. Bill Pinkney was the only surving member of the Original Drifters, he was inducted into the rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was our small town only celebrity. His funeral was probally the largest event this town has ever seen. I just can't seem to find the right words to thank the very many people and organizations who helped us to plan and get this service done. Please help.
	You may want to send something like this: Your cooperation and tireless help was much appreciated in celebrating the life of Bill Pinkney . It is so wonderful to have all of us working together. The world is a much better place with people like you!
Need the right words to thank a community for support, holding a fund raiser and all others who supported in the death of a friends husband.
	You could word it something like: Thank you for your generosity and acts of kindness to help "Mary" during her most difficult time. It's people like you who make the world a much better place to live.
I am in the process of writing thank you notes for flower arangements received at the funeral home. For my mother-in-laws passing. My question is there were flower sent from a group of her co workers, that only one signed the guest book with an address. How do I go about sending thank you note to the group? This arrangement was sent besides the one that was sent from the company she works for in which I am sending a thank you to the company. Any ideas you can give would be appreciated. Thank you Lori
	You would have to address the note to the person who wrote in their address in the book. On the inside of the note you would write the note to the group who sent the arrangement.
Rosemary, We are planning a housewarming party but our house is very small and would like to only ask for gift cards to place that we need things from such as: a new toilet or patio funiture. Would this be rude? How can I word that in the invitation? Thank you!
	It is difficult to ask for what you want to be given as a gift. However, you could play up the theme of the "fund". Have an object decorated in the entrace foyer or some part of the house where the guest enter. You could decorate a cardboard box and label it the Wish List Fund. On the invitation you could include: We want to share our new home with you. Come visit and enjoy the refreshments. In lieu of gifts we are asking for gift cards for our Wish List fund. We are trying to purchase patio furniture and a new toilet.
We recently lost our unborn child at just 17 weeks. I work for a large company and they sent flowers to my home. I would like some help with the wording of the thank-you note.
	So sorry for your loss. I would suggest you write something like: We truly appreciate your kindness during this most difficult time in our lives. Our little angel is safe and happy in heaven. Thank you for being so thoughtful.

Next 10       

Disclaimer:  The Ask Rosemary questions are for information purposes only and not to be construed as the final authority.
All questions submitted by users become the sole property of Thank You Ink, LLC.