A children's guide to saying 'thank you'

The holidays are about a lot of things: family, big dinners, religious services, decorating and, kids, let's be honest here, presents! Whatever your holiday traditions are, a gift or two may be in your future. That's why this time of year, it's especially important that you know how to say "thank you.""The nicest 'thank you' of all is the one you give in person," says Cindy Post Senning, an expert on manners for kids. Senning says you should make eye contact with the gift-giver and say something nice, such as "Thank you! What a great gift!"

If you don't love the present, you don't have to lie, Senning says. But you can find something to say that makes the gift-giver feel appreciated.Be polite about gifts, even those ugly socks. Try: "It was so nice of you to think of me."If your holiday party includes a lot of aunts, uncles and cousins, all opening gifts at the same time, it may be hard to thank everyone in a special way — especially when all you want to do is check out your new Cool Baker Cake Pop Maker.

For those times, or for relatives who send you presents but whom you don't actually see over the holidays, it's time to write a thank-you note. (Be honest: Did you cringe when you read "thank-you note"?) Don't think of that as a chore. Thank-you notes are a "nice way to connect" with people and to make your relationships stronger, Senning says. Writing them is easy, too! "A thank-you note is just two, three sentences," Senning says. "That's all it takes. It's just, 'Dear Grandma, Thank you so much for thinking of me. I always enjoy the gifts you send. See you soon!'"