The road to belated thank-you notes is paved with good intentions.

When it comes to sendingthank-you notes, the general rule is simple and steadfast: the sooner the better.

But none of these reasons would hold up inSouthern Living’sor more importantly, your mama’setiquettecourt.

thank you card

A sincere expression of gratitude and thanks is always, always appreciated, no matter how long overdue.

And for that reason alone, we say it’s never too late to send a thank-you note.

Here are two polite ways to address the delay without dwelling on it.

Focus instead on your gratitude, and keep the tone lighthearted and positive.