i was brought up to send a thank you just way i was raised

Here Here!!! I agree!!!!!!

I was raised to send thank you notes. Actually, the 5 of us were, but I seem to be the only one who continues the tradition. On Christmas, afternoon as a kid, I would have my thank you's written and ready to mail, much to the chagrin of my siblings. I live a good distance from my brothers and sisters and their families and I often have to call to see if a gift was received by my nieces and nephews. I really don't get that, because they are all capable of picking up a phone or sending an email. Heck, I'd be happy if they texted me, if not to thank me at least to let me know they got what I sent!

Even more I would appreciate a phone call. I am at that point in life. I just sent a lovely Dr. Suess fabric quilt to my niece for her daughter's 2nd birthday. I got a text message thank you, which meant to be she couldn't be bothered to call. I was crushed as it took me longer to make the quilt than she could spend thanking me for it. My son has become the same way - wasn't raised that way. I gave a quilt in July for a wedding. No acknowledgement there either. Doesn't really motivate you to follow up with another gift does it?

My sister is 34, we were raised to say Thank you and write Notes of appreciation. Especially to out of town family.

Well older sis. Is just an ingrate all the way around. So no one gives her things anymore.
her defense at being so classless.

"I didn't ask for it, its not my fault they gave it to me"

So you only have to say thank you if they gave you what you ask for..... Right.... So rude

I've never heard of thank you notes for wedding attendees, but certainly gifts for members of the wedding party and thank you notes for any gifts.

And they should be mailed, not emailed.

I think thank you notes are highly overrated BUT I think a thank you of some form is in order. We went to a relative's wedding and brought a nice gift - never heard a thing. Made us think that we were only invited for the gift value (Actually, I think I drank enough to cover the expense, lol) Next invite we declined and have not been bothered again. I love it when someone either opens the gift right away and I see their reaction or calls me after the fact and we chat for a bit.

Personally I would rather get a phone call than a thank you card, but no matter how they do it, everyone should thank a person for their thoughtfulness. My dh & I have 4 kids & 8 grandkids. We used to send money to all the grandies but now only send to the youngest 6 as they all are great about saying thank you. We had started sending cards only to the 2 oldest since they would never even acknowledge receiving the money, but now I just wish them a happy birthday on Facebook. A few months ago I gave quilted wallhangings to my 2 sisters and 2 nieces. One niece was not there, but after her mom gave her the wallhanging she sent me the nicest thank you note along with a picture of the wallhanging on the wall in her newly remodeled family room. That made me feel so good. My other niece gave me a big hug when she got her wallhanging. That makes it all worthwhile. I learned yrs ago not to give a large quilt to anyone unless I knew for a fact that they realized how much time and money goes in to making a handmade quilt because they just don't appreciate it and will more than likely compare it to the slave made ones you see at Wal-Mart!

If no thank you notes are "required" - then I feel that no gifts are "required" either
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I have some favorite thank you cards. They are crudely written and even more crudely drawn, BUT they are thank you cards from small children. I have 5 of them...one teen asked recently why Auntie didn't give teens any presents...Auntie just smiled and said recent (and not repeated) gifts obviously did not make it to her, which surprised her into declaring they did and she loved them@@ I cherish her first 2 (ONLY) cards she was made to send when she was about 9 years old, none since then.

I recently received a thank you card from a 5 year old pretend Grandson who not only wrote a thank you note but drew pictures of himself with me..well, he tried@@@ And he will shortly get a hideous big Halloween spider and other decorations. He's a darling child, fostered by my son and DIL
and I cAll him my pretend grandson.

He's the only young one around here who will get Christmas presents from me.