Today at work I got a letter that was thick and when I squished it made a crackling sound.
The Sender was someone I work with on occasion but there was no specific project at the moment.
Inside was a bag of gummi bears and a little note which said “Thanks for your always great support”
And I was like “What?” I didn’t do anything special but that person took the time to say thanks.
The thing is that over here in Germany and Switzerland we don’t have a culture of surprising each other much with little presents or with saying thanks too often. If no one says anything you’ve done a good job – that’s it
But that little letter did something with me and I thought “Wow – it’s nice to get an unexpected surprise like that along the way”
Now my question for you is:
Do you live in a culture of saying thanks and mindful little surprises?
When was the last time you surprised someone or when did you get an unexpected Thank you or/and a little surpise yourself?
I think those little things can just change the whole atmosphere in a company, at home, between friends–&
probably we don’t do it often enough?
Talk away….
Smiles
–Claudia
dVerse 
I think Sweden is a lot like you describe. But I know that when I work from other cultures that they always bring gifts.. Yes I agree that it makes you glad with those little gifts.. I think I will make it a habit 😉
yes – other cultures seem to be much better with gifts than we are… if i have visitors from other countries, they often bring a little present. i will try to make it a habit as well…
I think we all need to think about this…consciously. Even if it is a small thing, it is the thought that counts.
Thanks for shaing your story, Claudia! Lovely surprises.
We do that often here in the US. I like doing it, even anonymously sometimes. It makes me feel good to bless someone.
There is something that happens here, very spontaneously, its called “pay it forward.” One person buys the next person in line coffee (it happens often in drive-thrus), but they don’t say anything to that person. Then, they continue the chain to the next person, and so on. Also, here in the US we have tolls on some of the highways. Sometimes people will pay the toll of the person behind them. That has happened to me and it was such a nice surprise.
Random acts of kindness are inspiring and, I think, necessary to remind us of how wonderful humans can be.
Well that’s very kind… I must be in the wrong state… smiles… I certainly agree
that random acts of kindness are inspiring… with all the bad out there, it’s a good reminder that goodness is well and alive.
oh wow – that is very cool lupita – and very thoughtful – i think that’s a wonderful way to surprise someone – i have to try that “pay it forward” thing over here…
‘Pay it forward’ is called ‘suspended coffee’ in Europe, Claudia. I believe it originated in Italy. There, and in France, you pay for two coffees; yours and the suspended one which is then offered later to a homeless or poor person who can use the money for something else.
I like this idea, as someone who NEEDS the coffee will get it, rather than just a random person behind.
The is a wonderful idea!
Oh I think that randomness make it such better surprise..
That paying it forward happens here in Canada too ~ Sometimes in Tim Horton’s, you get a free cup because someone has paid for it, etc. ~ I like the random acts of kindness as its sincerely given ~
In Winnipeg (Canada), one Tim Horton’s counted the number of consecutive cars “payed it forward” to the car behind them…they got to 228! I think, though, that the spirit of thankfulness is dying. When we shop at Costco and stop at one of the samples, my wife and I always make sure that our kids say “Thank You” to the sample person. More than once, the sample person has commented on how nice it is to hear “thank-you”, as a lot of so-called “adults”, just grab the sample and leave without so much as a nod of appreciation. With or without gifts, even hearing those two simple words is gratifying…and a really simple way to improve someone else’s day
Ha, I have heard of this happening, but I have never seen it….I guess when it happens it happens quietly, and others do not really know that it is happening.
No – Americans are rude… not all of us, but….
Okay, one time I gave my friend the gift of a haircut… He was talking about to a job interview and he was gonna try to cut it himself. so the morning of the interview, I called him and surprise – told I would get him looking fresh and neat for it… he was really happy. ha.
oh that is a wonderful gift anthony – i can imagine that he was happy – and hope he got that job… smiles
He didn’t, but he has a better one at a steakhouse currently 🙂
very cool
That’s very kind of you ~
Anthony, you are very thoughtful! Not too many friends would think of that.
Rude comes natural, we gotta work at being grateful…saying “thank you” with a note or surprise definitely blesses both recipient and giver !
Our 3 yr. old grandson recently surprised us with coloring pages and personal notes (as dictated to mom) so I sent a teddy bear e-card to thank him.
People in our community like to surprise each other with food 🙂
rude comes natural… i agree… and it needs a bit of imagination to surprise someone… love me some food surprise….hmmmm
It’s way easier to be rude alas.. Gratitude and kindness seem to be hard to express.
Yes, a note of surprise is always good. I think people have gotten out of the habit of sending notes.
Thanks for that enlightening post..:)
Nuff said..;)
smiles
It’s never a surprise, but we have some nieces who always send us thank you notes in the mail when we give them Christmas gifts, even if we were there to see them open it and they said thank you already in person. Their mother taught them well. (She sends thank you notes, too.)
And just this morning I and my staff received thank you gifts from someone at a related company who we worked with on a book project last year. The book is finally back from the printer and she brought us all gift cards to a local bookstore and a little engraved blotter notepad, along with a handwritten thank you note. She also handwrote a thank you note to each of the 40+ authors and editors on the book. I suspect some of them will be surprised. Peace, Linda
oh that is really lovely… and a handwritten note means so much…
very cool on your nieces… i know some kids that don’t even say thanks when they’re getting a gift..ugh…it’s sad
Very nice, Linda.
I grew up with a mother who preached “an attitude of gratitude.” She was always that way, and even more so after she joined AA and enjoyed recovery (almost 50 years now)! She is now 94 and even in her state of dementia she constantly say, “I’m so grateful.” That being said, gratitude seems to come naturally for me.
A surprise I’m experiencing–a friend down here in our desert community is throwing a Tea/Book Launch for me this Thursday. She sent out written invitations and planned the whole thing. Right now I’m wracking my brain trying to think of an adequate way to thank her. Flowers, a gift basket–it all seems so inadequate. Any ideas?
I like that you brought this to the pub, Claudia–and I want to thank everyone who makes this such a special place to share our poetry.
How sweet of her Victoria ~ A personalized note will go a long way, with flowers or a gift in line with her interests ~
I agree–there is nothing like a hand-written note.
most def…little personalized notes make all the difference in the world…
Gifts are so different so my advice is never right. We usually would bring chocolate or wine.
Those are always go-to’s. We usually bring wine when invited for dinner, too.
I can relate… My mom is very strict when it comes to showing appreciation… smiles
Good Mom!
Go Mom!
I liked the gummy bear story soooo much I’d go for a surprise. Maybe a coffee gift certificate at a coffee shop or a ticket to a show (for two)? Or even a bag of kisses or gummi bears.
Great ideas, Susan.
How about an autographed copy of your book? Smiles. Along with a bottle of wine… I think if I were that friend, that is what I would like.
I love your gummi bear story. I live for finding cute little treats and gifts for people. It makes me so happy! The last was some gardening gloves and utensils for my friend, who will be planting her greenhouse soon. Just to get her in the mood! LOL.
That sounds like perfect cheerful surprise, it’s nice to have stash of little gifts laying around ..
awe, that’s sweet
That’s very thoughtful of you Sherry ~ I wish I can think of gardening now, smiles ~
Love it!
In my company, we are trying to cultivate a culture of thanks to each other ~ They even made prepared notes with design, and all you have to do is send it with your personal message to your office mate or manager or anyone who has helped you ~ I have used it a couple of times, and it always amazes me that people are sincerely flattered when they receive them ~ The card may look cliched, but sending them & giving thanks to each other goes a long way in fostering good relationships at work ~
That’s nice of your friend to send you that gift & note Claudia ~
Happy snowy day from here, smiles ~
That sounds like a wonderful idea.. So simple really.
great idea… I bet those little gifts really brighten the atmosphere 🙂
Sounds like an enlightened company, Grace. Nice.
that is pretty cool that they are intentional about creating that culture by providing the notes…
Thanks, indeed, Claudia, for this wonderful post…a reminder that we all can use to be grateful and to show our gratitude to those who have helped us.
Little gifts and cards go a long way.
It really is… everybody wants to feel appreciated.
Saying “thank you” & “i’m sorry”, we often forget these words, but these same words can actually change the world. It’s grattitude & humility that most of us lack today. Thank you for the read, Claudia. Smiles.
“change the world” – I believe that kelvin ~
Yes, so true, Kelvin. We often forget to say the words. We sometimes forget the simplest things; and sometimes it is the simplest things that make all the difference in the world.
i agree in that we often seem to forget these words…and really letting someone know how much we appreciate them…until often it is too late…the moment passed or…its cool to get those little surprises…as it is to be the one doing the surprising when you see how much it really affects them…
Until its too late – and that’s tragic, not letting the other know how much we appreciate them ~
most def…
Yes, Brian, we often think we have TIME to show appreciation. Sometimes time runs out….and then there are the regrets. We have to be sure we say ‘thank you’ before it is too late. And that probably means ‘now’ as we don’t know about tomorrow.
I love surprises and love it even more when I’m the one doing or giving it to someone I know or not. Since I started working in 2011, I developed this habit of giving a treat to random people every week. Like for example, this week I’m going to buy shawarma or chocolate or a cup of coffee as a treat to the first person in the office that I will see wearing red shoes. That habit gives me more pleasure than I thought & often the reactions I get in return is priceless. Smiles. Random acts of kindness… ah, I’m in to it!
that is cool giving the random treats…and hey the treat recently was your return again….smiles….love that it all depends on red shoes too…lol….
..ahaha.. at least the added condition somehow avoids one from getting spoiled..
Very cool, Kelvin! This makes me wonder whether a lot of people wear red shoes or whether you might wait for quite a while before someone does.
..ha.. most likely i’d wait… anyway, i have the whole week to wait for that lucky one… hihi…
Claudia, Ilke the gummi bear story. Sometimes I think it is the small things that have the most impact. For example, if someone would give me Skittles (smiles), I would be touched. I am not much of a candy eater, but Skittles is another story.
..oh… skittles… indeed, it’s the little things that count most for me too…
skittles…i need to keep that in mind mary…smiles.
smiles… i had to look up what skittles are…oy
What a great surprise, Claudia. In this day it’s even a special gift to get a letter that is a personal note! I have a few friends who are thoughtful, either with little gifts or other kindnesses. Each time I am on the receiving end of one of them I think I need to do better. Sometimes I remember, but…
This is another good reminder. Thank you, Claudia.
so few letters are sent these days…to get a personal letter…that would indeed be a treat….
I was raised in the south, in the US. I was taught to always say please and especially to say, thank you. We had a huge kitchen garden and frequently shared fresh veggies with our neighbors. A large flower garden too. those were shared, long before random acts of kindness became a trend. One of the neighbors across the street, came over and was admiring both gardens. She was taken on a tour and my father, with his basket, picked green beans, pulled spring onions, tomatoes, okra, cut some herbs. They then went around the side of the house and he filled the top of her basket with roses, magnolia blossoms and gardenias. One morning in autumn, we awake to the neighbor and her husband raking leaves from our lawn. Later in the winter, they came over with a simple lunch of ham rolls and a pie. all sorts of things like that happened in our neighborhood. When I grew up, I t’d thank people with handwritten notes, a few flowers, bottle of wine, a jar of homemade jam or pickles. It was the way I was raised. When I entered the workforce, in an office across the way, was a lovely person totally flummoxed by computers. We all helped her and a day or two later, on our desk we’d find some homemade cookies, a small flower or leaf arrangement from her yard, a snicker bar…..she’d say thank you but then, she would show it. It made us all want to be like her – kind, gentle, grateful, gracious. I think many times, we get so caught up in ourselves, our stuff, that we forget to take that few minutes and show that kindness, that gratitude. I think it is so wonderful you received that gift of thanks and the touch of whimsy behind it. I am glad it made you feel special. We all need that feeling.
oh wow… i love how those little acts of kindness are like sparks that can get a warm fire going
Yes indeed. my grandmother always said, it is better to be kind than it is to be right. It’s good advice and I try really hard. I don’t know who said this, but it is one of the sayings I hold close: A candle loses nothing by lighting another. And gummi bears! what a happy fun way to say thank you and send hugs, all at once.
This sounds just delightful. I have seen nothing like this here, just maybe something to learn from.
It is. It is still part of the culture, you get a new neighbor in the established neighborhood, you take over a loaf of bread, some flowers, something to say hi. It goes along with a Japanese group I like a lot. their main theme is, we all are one. In spite of our differences, we are. We need to have someone be kind to us, to make us feel grateful, to show gratitude. On my Kanzensakura site, I often speak of the kindness of un-strangers, friends who become family. I was raised by the golden rule and in later years, took on the honor code of Bushido. It’s all part of that, taking the time to say thanks or show thanks. I was at the grocery today and saw the cashier be so kind and patient to an elderly man in front of me. when the man left, I looked at the young cashier and thanked him for his kindness. He actually had tears come in his eyes. It made him feel good. I wish I could think of who said this quote, a candle loses nothing by sharing its light with another candle.
What a happy place the bar is today, such kindness shining out from everyone. Claudia, I salute you for the perfect pubtalk! Surprises and thanks are like lubrication, they make the world go around.
Can anyone tell me what are gummi bears?
A gummy bear is a small, fruit gum candy, similar to a jelly baby in some English-speaking countries. The candy is roughly 2 cm long and shaped in the form of a bear. Haven’t tasted any before but I’ve seen some though.
However, to answer Claudia’s question, yes here in my country Ghana, saying thank you is very common. We believe in Appreciation/Gratitude. Simply put, “Thank you and Please” are our magic words. But when it comes to Surprises, well we do get them sometimes but not as common as that of returning thanks. Saying thank you is like a norm. I mean, it’s always good to appreciate people when necessary. Think we should all learn to do so.
What a lovely discussion you’ve sparked, Claudia, with your happy story – and what a nice way to say thank you.
I come from a culture where little gifts and tokens of appreciation are the norm – and often are expected – so the pendulum can swing a bit too much the other way. But I always appreciate it when it’s heartfelt and sincere (and hopefully always mean it myself).
This Pubtalk found an echo over at my favourite blogger’s post today – Paying Forward. Well worth a visit if you don’t already know Celie: http://thekitchensgarden.com/2015/02/03/paying-it-forward/
I’ve often been a culprit from early childhood. I would leave a few sweet-peas on a neighbour’s doorstep and often take a cake or something else to someone. Not just on special occasions but whenever…
It is sad that many of us live in a world where we only hear about it when it was wrong, I believe in letting people know when they have gone that extra step. Little surprises, like the gummy bears, can put a smile on someone’s face and give a gentle shift to an entire day. I’m all for that!
Here in the Pacific North West of the US, acts of kindness are quite common now. Helping someone across the street, buying a homeless person a meal, the “pay it forward concept” becoming a custom. But the best one that happened to me was many years ago while I was at work, substituting as a clerk selling postage stamps in a very busy Post Office for one summer. A female customer one morning surprised me by bringing me a large bouquet of flowers…she said she enjoyed coming in to do her business much more because I was efficient and “so pleasant”… she told me she believed we ought to give flowers to people ‘before’ they die, rather than after, so they can be enjoyed and the person appreciated while living. This could be done in any number of ways – simply by saying “I love you’ to someone more often. It needs to become a way of life for all of us, but we are so busy and preoccupied. There is a “Nurses Day” in the U. S., another example, but instead of just on that day, they deserve to receive ‘thank you’s’ all the time. Nice conversation, Claudia. Thanks.
A kind gesture, word or gift does as much for the giver as the recipient – small things can mean so much.
I too was raised in the southern US where these small generosities of spirit were common place – gifts of thanks or welcome were part of the culture.
It is something I still try to remember to do – even if just a smile and a heartfelt thank you for a kindness done.
This was a wonderful conversation – thanks to everyone for making my day – smiles