---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes…"
description: "\"“A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes. I know, I know, it’s teaching them good manners and everything, but I sort of hate those thank-you cards. I a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/liane-moriarty-1135_card_a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-kn_1472184.png"
---

#  A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes. I know, I know…

![“A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes. I know, I know, it’s teaching them good manners and everything, but I sort of hate those thank-you cards. I always imagine the kids groaning and having to be forced into writing them. It makes me feel like an elderly aunt.” quote by Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/liane-moriarty-1135_card_a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-kn_1472184.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/liane-moriarty-1135_card_a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-kn_1472184.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/liane-moriarty-1135_card_a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-kn_1472184.png)

> ““A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes. I know, I know, it’s teaching them good manners and everything, but I sort of hate those thank-you cards. I always imagine the kids groaning and having to be forced into writing them. It makes me feel like an elderly aunt.””

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker resents obligatory gratitude expressions, seeing them as forced etiquette that feels insincere and burdensome.

**In simple terms:** Thank‑you cards feel like a forced, insincere duty.

Key Takeaway

Recognize when gratitude feels genuine versus obligatory.

Themes

manners social pressure authenticity

Mood

iritant reflective

Type

observational critical

When to use this quote

- parenting
- school projects
- workplace recognition
- family gatherings

Key Concepts

Etiquette social conformity psychology of gratitude

Questions to Reflect On

- When do you give thanks because you truly feel it?
- How can you make gratitude feel authentic?

A Different Perspective

Obligation can diminish the sincerity of appreciation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/card/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Hate Thank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-thank-1188415/) [Kids Groaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-groaning-5344499/) [Thank Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thank-card-3202487/) [Thank Cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thank-cards-567337/)

## Related quotes

> [The Poles do not know how to hate, thank God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-wyszynski/the-poles-do-not-know-how-to-hate-thank-god/)

[Stefan Wyszynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-wyszynski/)

> [I don't care if you hate me I love me!!! well if you say hate me then thank you for sharing yur opinion...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vickie-smile/i-don-t-care-if-you-hate-me-i-love-me-well-if-you-say-hate-me-then/)

[Vickie\_smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vickie-smile/)

> [Send free online greeting cards, animated cards, e cards, postcards &amp; e greetings with quotes for friends and family on special occasions: Birthdays, Love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albertdavid/send-free-online-greeting-cards-animated-cards-e-cards-postcards-e/)

[Albertdavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albertdavid/)

> [I don't like thank you cards because I don't know what else to say. What do I put on the inside? See Front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-don-t-like-thank-you-cards-because-i-don-t-know-what-else-to-say/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [“Write more thank-you cards, but draw fewer swastikas on them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/write-more-thank-you-cards-but-draw-fewer-swastikas-on-them/)

[Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/)

> [“Life is a gift. Going to church is like sending a thank-you card.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-acampora/life-is-a-gift-going-to-church-is-like-sending-a-thank-you-card/)

[Paul Acampora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-acampora/)

> [“If you are yourself, If you trust yourself, If you believe in yourself your life will be fine As for the rest of it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gould/if-you-are-yourself-if-you-trust-yourself-if-you-believe-in-yourself/)

[Philip Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gould/)

> [“Look," Jason said, "you really need to learn the difference between sex and a thank-you card.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/look-jason-said-you-really-need-to-learn-the-difference-between-sex/)

[Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/)

> [Pat Sajak should send me a 'thank you' card every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-woolery/pat-sajak-should-send-me-a-thank-you-card-every-day/)

[Chuck Woolery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-woolery/)

> [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [Building a cast is a card house. They lean on each other, provide for each other, and take from each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-renck/building-a-cast-is-a-card-house-they-lean-on-each-other-provide-for/)

[Johan Renck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-renck/)

> [“Am I just a game to you? The quiet crazy girl that you want to challenge yourself with? See if you can destroy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allie-brennan/am-i-just-a-game-to-you-the-quiet-crazy-girl-that-you-want-to/)

[Allie Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allie-brennan/)

> [You get a timeless cool card in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-diesel/you-get-a-timeless-cool-card-in-new-york/)

[Vin Diesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-diesel/)

> [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/)

[Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/)

> [I feel like I am a much better player than just trying to keep my card or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-feel-like-i-am-a-much-better-player-than-just-trying-to-keep-my/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

## More by Liane Moriarty

> [“It was good to remember that for every horrible memory from her marriage, there was also a happy one. She wanted to see it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/it-was-good-to-remember-that-for-every-horrible-memory-from-her/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“When you were young you talked about "falling in love" with such amusing gravity, as if it were an actual recordable event, when what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/when-you-were-young-you-talked-about-falling-in-love-with-such/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“Nathan kissed Madeline on the cheek and shook Ed's hand enthusiastically. He took an ostentatious relish in the civility of his dealings with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/nathan-kissed-madeline-on-the-cheek-and-shook-ed-s-hand/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“The cycles of dysfunction and mental illness did not have to carry over from generation to generation. You just had to educate yourself. Erika”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/the-cycles-of-dysfunction-and-mental-illness-did-not-have-to-carry/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [My real thinking and planning gets done when I'm doing something else like driving or walking or taking the shower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/my-real-thinking-and-planning-gets-done-when-i-m-doing-something-else/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“She wondered if it was similar to how people felt when they first took antidepressants and they lost their pain, but everything else felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/she-wondered-if-it-was-similar-to-how-people-felt-when-they-first/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [It's always the paragraphs I loved most, the ones I tenderly polished and re-read with pride, that my editor will suggest cutting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/it-s-always-the-paragraphs-i-loved-most-the-ones-i-tenderly-polished/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“Recently, she’d noticed something strange happening when she talked to people in groups. She couldn’t quite remember how to be. She’d find herself thinking:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/recently-she-d-noticed-something-strange-happening-when-she-talked-to/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“I won’t get involved in any school politics,” she’d said, and someone up there had overheard and hadn’t liked her attitude. Far too confident.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/i-won-t-get-involved-in-any-school-politics-she-d-said-and-someone-up/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [Early love is exciting and exhilarating. It's light and bubbly. Anyone can love like that. But after three children, after a separation and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/early-love-is-exciting-and-exhilarating-it-s-light-and-bubbly-anyone/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“Did you know that some people wish the Berlin Wall had never come down?” said Esther. “That’s weird, isn’t it? Why would you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/did-you-know-that-some-people-wish-the-berlin-wall-had-never-come/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“The weather wasn’t helping. It was far too lovely, mocking her pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/the-weather-wasn-t-helping-it-was-far-too-lovely-mocking-her-pain/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“Harper: Who said it was a feminist issue? What the heck? I’ll tell you what started it: the incident at the kindergarten orientation day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/harper-who-said-it-was-a-feminist-issue-what-the-heck-i-ll-tell-you/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“Why weren’t they just overcome with joy every time they looked at those kids? Why in the world were they divorcing?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/why-weren-t-they-just-overcome-with-joy-every-time-they-looked-at/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [“(Why did she think tall people couldn’t be crazy? Because they looked like they ruled the world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/why-did-she-think-tall-people-couldn-t-be-crazy-because-they-looked/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

[Explore all 281 Liane Moriarty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

## More Card quotes

> [I feel like I am a much better player than just trying to keep my card or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-feel-like-i-am-a-much-better-player-than-just-trying-to-keep-my/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/)

[Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/)

> [You get a timeless cool card in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-diesel/you-get-a-timeless-cool-card-in-new-york/)

[Vin Diesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-diesel/)

> [“Am I just a game to you? The quiet crazy girl that you want to challenge yourself with? See if you can destroy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allie-brennan/am-i-just-a-game-to-you-the-quiet-crazy-girl-that-you-want-to/)

[Allie Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allie-brennan/)

> [Building a cast is a card house. They lean on each other, provide for each other, and take from each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-renck/building-a-cast-is-a-card-house-they-lean-on-each-other-provide-for/)

[Johan Renck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-renck/)

> [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [Everything you need for your better future and success has already been written.And guess What? It's all available.All you have to do is go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/everything-you-need-for-your-better-future-and-success-has-already/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [You would notice if your own personal debit card limit shot up to $40 million dollars. And you'd probably call somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-lynch/you-would-notice-if-your-own-personal-debit-card-limit-shot-up-to-40/)

[Loretta Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-lynch/)

> [Increasingly, editing means going to lunch. It means editing with a credit card, not with a pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/increasingly-editing-means-going-to-lunch-it-means-editing-with-a/)

[Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/)

> [Don't scale your perfection in the middle sometimes your last card decides the winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-tiwari/don-t-scale-your-perfection-in-the-middle-sometimes-your-last-card/)

[Anuj Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-tiwari/)

> [“Look at us. A line of symmetry. Two halves of a whole. Two peas in a pod. A pair of queens. Though your card,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-robuck/look-at-us-a-line-of-symmetry-two-halves-of-a-whole-two-peas-in-a-pod/)

[Erika Robuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-robuck/)

> [There is no problem a library card can't solve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/there-is-no-problem-a-library-card-can-t-solve/)

[Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/)

> [I don't think that writing talent has much to do with where one went to school, or the number of degrees on one's business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/i-don-t-think-that-writing-talent-has-much-to-do-with-where-one-went/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [“But this is the card we have been handed. This is our love story. Who are we to question fate?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-robertson/but-this-is-the-card-we-have-been-handed-this-is-our-love-story-who/)

[Dawn Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-robertson/)

> [“Tarot is a card-game that you don't play to win or lose. If there is a winner,it's the player who discovers the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-st-genoux/tarot-is-a-card-game-that-you-don-t-play-to-win-or-lose-if-there-is-a/)

[Philippe St Genoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-st-genoux/)

[Browse all 388 Card quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/card/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes. I know, I know, it’s teaching them good manners and everything, but I sort of hate those thank-you cards. I always imagine the kids groaning and having to be forced into writing them. It makes me feel like an elderly aunt.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Liane Moriarty"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-know-i-know-it-s-teaching-them/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Card"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-know-i-know-it-s-teaching-them/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/liane-moriarty-1135_card_a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-kn_1472184.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/liane-moriarty-1135_card_a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-kn_1472184.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/liane-moriarty-1135_card_a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-kn_1472184.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes. I know, I know, it’s teaching them good manners and everything, but…” — Liane Moriarty",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Liane Moriarty",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“A thank-you card,” repeated Alice. “Yes....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-know-i-know-it-s-teaching-them/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/a-thank-you-card-repeated-alice-yes-i-know-i-know-it-s-teaching-them/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
