Bonafide Etiquette Question

lpstl

A surprise baby shower was thrown for me today at work .

There were a bunch of gifts, and one card with everyone's name on it. There were some names on the card, but those people weren't at the shower. Should I write individual thank you notes to everyone who signed the card? Should I just email thank you notes instead of getting everyone's address, or hand deliver them? (I've always gotten email thank yous from work showers... not sure what's protocol anymore)

cat1121

Given the mass signing I'd go with the mass email. Follow the spirit in which it was given.

crfische

I'd send each person who signed the card a thank you sent through the mail.

JessAndTrav

Depending on your work environment, could you post a thank you card on a bulletin board and then send individual TYs to those who were present? I'd probably post the mass card right after the TYs had gone out.

Celles

I think a mass e-mail would be appropriate, but I would hand write my notes and deliver them to my co-workers' desks.  It's a sweetly personal touch that they probably won't be expecting, given that e-mail thank-yous are the norm in your office. 

A girl at my last office did that after a holiday gift exchange, and coming into work in the morning to find her thank you card on my desk was a nice way to start the day. 

mags0607

I wouldn't worry about mailing them thank you's. I think that writing idividual notes and delivering them at work would suffice. You could send out a mass email though quickly, just to thank everyone for the great surprise, and then do the individual notes in a few days.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I'd do a big mass card for the bulletin board and then do short individual emails for people who came.

Though honestly, I don't think I ever got a TY for a work shower. It would be nice, though.

anna.oskar

I'd definitely write a note to each person, but had delivering them at work sounds fine to me.

lpstl

Thanks everyone, the bulletin board wouldn't work so well in my office. There were about 15 people at the shower who I hang out with outside of work, and am closer to. My office has about 300 people in it. Writing out the notes and hand delivering sounds good though.

Catwoman708

The most proper method is to hand write a thank you note to each person who gave a present, signed a card, or attended the shower.  I don't think it matters if it was mailed or hand delivered.

I'm not clear if each person that signed or attended also gave a gift, but they all did something nice for you and should get some kind of thank you.  Given that many people don't sent thank yous any more, I think they'd be glad to get one in ANY form.

tlv204

Did any of them give you Curious George? I hope not!

tenofcups4me

I'd email a mass thank you to everyone. You said that's what's done in your office so why would you do it differently? 

That's also the way we always did it in my last office. Since there's already an accepted protocol, go with it.