These days everything moves so fast. Between emails, cell phones, text messages, tweets, and 80-hour work weeks, what are good manners, and who has time for it? After all is said and done, certain things are still the hallmark of social etiquette. Sending flowers may seem a bit old-fashioned and quaint in this modern society, but it’s still done often enough to deserve to be treated with good manners.

When you receive flowers, it is appropriate to send a thank you card or an email or make a formal phone call. This lets the sender know that the gift was received undamaged and is appreciated. If the sender went to the trouble and expense of choosing a beautiful bouquet or arrangement to recognize your occasion, it’s certainly appropriate to acknowledge the gift. It only takes a couple of minutes and means a lot to most people.

Sometimes, on a romantic level, people may receive flowers from an unwanted admirer. It is still appropriate to acknowledge receipt of flowers. In the event that you do not reciprocate the sender’s emotion, do not throw away the flowers. You can donate them in your name to a nursing home or personal care home. They would certainly appreciate receiving a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

There was a time in the past when good manners were taught to us children. They were second nature. With the hustle and bustle of today’s society, it’s important to remember that sometimes the simplest gestures mean a lot. As manners are the glue that holds a society together, it is very important to observe them. And it really doesn’t take much time to observe proper etiquette.