Thank you note for baby sprinkle

[RocketScientist]

My coworkers recently hosted a small baby sprinkle for me. It was lovely and they were generous, especially in light of this being my second pregnancy. Now I'm struggling with the thank you note.

Rather than giving individual gifts, my coworkers pooled their money to go in for several joint gifts. I have no way of knowing which coworkers contributed to the gifts (nor do I think it appropriate to ask). One coworker in particular was the organizer and spearheaded the whole shebang.

So, should I write two thank you notes: one to the organizer and one to the office as a whole? Or stick with just a general one for the office? Maybe ask the organizer to pass the note around to those who contributed? Other options?

Thanks in advance!

[Outdoor Girl]

When we've taken up a collection for this kind of thing, the recipient has just sent/brought in a thank you note addressed to the whole office and pinned it up in the lunchroom or somewhere else suitable.

In your case, I would do an additional one for the organizer if she did more than collect the money and buy the gifts.  For example, if she arranged for some decorations and food.

[Julian]

Where I work now, we've generally received a card addressed to the whole office, with a note of thanks and news updates in the card.  (The 'shower' is usually done on the mum-to-be's last day of work before starting maternity leave.)

An additional card with cute baby pix usually comes once Bub is born.

Cards and/or pix get passed around the office and pinned to the internal notice board.

[jpcher]

I have no way of knowing which coworkers contributed to the gifts (nor do I think it appropriate to ask). One coworker in particular was the organizer and spearheaded the whole shebang.

Bold above is the reason why I'm going with a group TYnote.

I was once a recipient of an individual TYnote from a bride-to-be where I did not contribute to the gift. It made me feel very awkward. In fact I posted about it here wondering what to do.


An additional note to the Organizer? I'm not sure, it depends on how much extra the organizer did. It's kinda like a special thank-you to the hostess, which would be the right thing to do. If she collected the money, bought all the gifts/decorations/food, set the table, etc. then she deserves a special thank-you.

But you have no way of knowing exactly who did what, right? Maybe one person went to this store, another went to that store, maybe everybody brought in food/cake (if that was even done)?



One heartfelt TY to everybody is the way to go.

[kherbert05]

We almost always pool money at my work. The guest of honor writes thank you notes to the team. They are usually put in the team leader's box and passed around.

[gramma dishes]

I would go with the group Thank You note and send it to the person in charge.  If she really went above and beyond in organizing the whole thing, yes, I'd also send her a private thank you note acknowledging that.

But when the little one gets here, I always think it's really a neat thing to take pictures of Baby using/wearing/playing with the items they gave you at the shower and send those along too, one at a time.  It helps keep you in touch with your coworkers and they'll get a kick out of seeing their gifts being put to practical use.  Nothing cheers up a bulletin board like pictures of a cute newborn.

[Luci45]

It doesn't matter who contributed how much. Each individual deserves a personal thank you.

Each person contributed some worktime salary into the gift, and your taking a couple of minutes to write a note is probably far less than the giver worked.

Maybe more effusive for the organizer.

[mandycorn]

It doesn't matter who contributed how much. Each individual deserves a personal thank you.

Each person contributed some worktime salary into the gift, and your taking a couple of minutes to write a note is probably far less than the giver worked.

Maybe more effusive for the organizer.

I would agree with you if she had a list of contributors, but without it, I think a group card is the best OP can do, since it could potentially stir up trouble if people who didn't contribute are thanked for the gift.

It may be possible that the organizer kept a list of everyone who put in money, or it truly was from everyone in the office, so I would ask the organizer for clarification, but without a list, the group note is safest.

[jpcher]

It doesn't matter who contributed how much. Each individual deserves a personal thank you.

Each person contributed some worktime salary into the gift, and your taking a couple of minutes to write a note is probably far less than the giver worked.

Maybe more effusive for the organizer.

I would agree with you if she had a list of contributors, but without it, I think a group card is the best OP can do, since it could potentially stir up trouble if people who didn't contribute are thanked for the gift.

It may be possible that the organizer kept a list of everyone who put in money, or it truly was from everyone in the office, so I would ask the organizer for clarification, but without a list, the group note is safest.

I don't think that OP should ask for a list. It might be misconstrued as her wanting to find out who did not contribute or something wrong like that.

[Bijou]

My coworkers recently hosted a small baby sprinkle for me. It was lovely and they were generous, especially in light of this being my second pregnancy. Now I'm struggling with the thank you note.

Rather than giving individual gifts, my coworkers pooled their money to go in for several joint gifts. I have no way of knowing which coworkers contributed to the gifts (nor do I think it appropriate to ask). One coworker in particular was the organizer and spearheaded the whole shebang.

So, should I write two thank you notes: one to the organizer and one to the office as a whole? Or stick with just a general one for the office? Maybe ask the organizer to pass the note around to those who contributed? Other options?

Thanks in advance!

I have to ask, because it sounds like a shower to me, but it seems like there must be something different about it to be referred to as a sprinkle.  What is a baby sprinkle? 

[cabbagegirl28]

My coworkers recently hosted a small baby sprinkle for me. It was lovely and they were generous, especially in light of this being my second pregnancy. Now I'm struggling with the thank you note.

Rather than giving individual gifts, my coworkers pooled their money to go in for several joint gifts. I have no way of knowing which coworkers contributed to the gifts (nor do I think it appropriate to ask). One coworker in particular was the organizer and spearheaded the whole shebang.

So, should I write two thank you notes: one to the organizer and one to the office as a whole? Or stick with just a general one for the office? Maybe ask the organizer to pass the note around to those who contributed? Other options?

Thanks in advance!

I have to ask, because it sounds like a shower to me, but it seems like there must be something different about it to be referred to as a sprinkle.  What is a baby sprinkle? 

I think sprinkle means it's less gifts and a smaller affair because it's for someone who's already had a kid.

[Outdoor Girl]

I thought a sprinkle meant a 'shower' after the baby was already born.

[Bijou]

I have to ask, because it sounds like a shower to me, but it seems like there must be something different about it to be referred to as a sprinkle.  What is a baby sprinkle? 

I think sprinkle means it's less gifts and a smaller affair because it's for someone who's already had a kid.

I see.  I've never heard of that.  Thanks for the info.