Found this in a bit of national gift research:
When it comes to gratitude, according to the survey, over one-half of Americans do not expect a thank you for a gift. While women are more likely to anticipate a sign of appreciation, both men and women agree that an in-person thank you and a handwritten note are the most acceptable ways of expressing gratitude for a gift. Most also agree that a phone call is acceptable; however, when it comes to high-tech modes of communication such as e-mail and voicemail, agreement significantly drops. A faxed note is the least acceptable method of saying thank you.
“As times and technology change, it’s still the personal touches that are most meaningful,” added Spizman. “Make every gift count.”
What surprises me is the decided decline in satisfaction when a personal call is placed to provide a thank you for a gift. While a handwritten note is the ‘Rolls Royce’ of thank yous, one has to think that a phone call would suffice in today’s harried lifestyles. Heck if it were me, I’d be happy just getting an email - what about you?