A gift really should be acknowledged with a thank-you card, particularly if the gift was mailed. Unless the recipient has physical, mental, or other limitations making it essentially impossible to write. In that case, a call or a text from a family caregiver would reassure me that the gift arrived safely and had been seen.
I remember the first couple of bridal/baby showers I attended when we guests were asked at the door to fill out a blank envelope for the thank you note. I thought it was the height of rudeness and laziness. After all, who can’t make time to write a few thank you cards a week till the job is done? The gift was a sacrifice of time and/or money, much greater than the five minutes it takes to write a note.
As time wore on, I became fine with addressing my own envelope as a guest. However, if I found a SASE included with a gift, I would be offended by the message it sends”You’d *better* thank me for this. No excuse not to!” That’s as rude as not acknowledging a gift. My older sister once rudely told me that if my kids didn’t write a thank you card, she’d not be sending gifts anymore. I asked her why she sent them gifts. “Because I love your kids.” I said it’s not loving to demand a thank you, it’s selfish. I taught my kids to be kind and thoughtful— and when in grade school , I forced them to write thank you notes. But when they became teens, I picked other battles. Told my sister to either stop sending gifts or if the kids call you or text to say thanks, accept their gratitude. But don’t undo a good deed thing with a demand for recognition.