Growing up my mom always made my siblings and I write a thank you card every time we received a gift. I have to admit that I always dreaded the day when I walked downstairs to see all of the thank you cards sitting on the kitchen table needing to be written. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that showing gratitude for a gift or nice gesture is always the polite thing to do, and thank you notes can actually be fun to write! I recently wrote a thank you note to my in-laws after my birthday and my MIL commented that I should write a blog post on how to write a proper thank you note. I actually thought that was such a good post idea, and something that would be very helpful during this time of the year. While I don’t think that I’m the best at writing thank you notes, I have picked up on a few tips after receiving so many over the years.
This post is all about how to write a thank you card. I am sharing tips on how to choose the perfect stationary, when to send a thank you card, and a 4 step template for writing the perfect thank you message.
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My sister-in-law mentioned that she had saved a recent thank you card she received, and started using it as a bookmark. That reminded me of the importance of the stationary that you use for a thank you note! I love when I receive a card that is too cute to throw away, so you try to find a way to repurpose it. I think it’s fun to keep a stack of thank you cards on hand that reflect your personality. Cards with your initial are always a classy choice and it’s also fun to match your thank you notes to the theme of the party, shower, etc. I personally love looking at the card section in local boutiques too, you can usually find unique and funny ones! Here are a few links to some adorable thank you cards that are sure to make the perfect happy mail.
Ideally, you want to send a thank you card immediately after receiving a gift. I find the sooner you do it, the easier it is to write because it’s fresh in your mind. The longer your procrastinate, the more it becomes an extra thing on your “to-do” list that stresses you out. It’s hard to write a meaningful thank you note when you’re writing from a place of wanting to cross it off of your to-do list rather than truly feeling grateful. With that being said, it’s never too late to send a thank you note. Better late than never!
Thank you note template
I know from personal experience that it is easy to get “writer’s block” when sitting down to write a thank you note, so here is a template to help guide you on how to write a thank you card.
Greeting
I once heard or read that you should never start a thank-you note by saying “thank you” and that always stuck with me. I try to start my thank you notes with something unrelated to the gift I received. This could be something along the lines of how happy you were that the person came to your party, how much fun you had with them, etc.
Examples:
- I had so much fun at your house on Christmas day!
- I loved grabbing lunch with you this week, we should do that more often!
- I was so excited that you were able to make it to my party! It wouldn’t have been the same without you there.
2. Say thanks
State the gift that you received or the reason that you are writing the note.
Examples:
- Thank you for the beautiful, cozy sweater!
- Thank you for the generous monetary gift.
- Thank you for taking the time to travel to our house for the holidays. We really appreciate all of the nice gifts that you gave us!
3. One to two extra appreciative sentences
Tell the person what you love about the gift, how you’ve been using it, how you plan to use it, or how it made you feel.
Examples:
- I have been needing to update my wardrobe, and the sweater you gave me is just my style. I love how soft it is!
- We are saving up to renovate our bathroom, and the money you gave us is going towards that project!
- I love shopping at Target, so the gift card you gave me will definitely be put to use! I have been eyeing a pair of boots that I plan on buying with the gift card you gave me.
4. Closing
Reiterate the “thank you” and a give a kind closing remark.
Examples:
- Thank you again for the nice gift!
- It is always fun spending time with you.
- Looking forward to seeing you again at X.
My mom has used the same address book ever since I can remember, and a few years ago I asked for my own address book for Christmas. The only problem is that it’s gotten pretty messy with so many of my friends getting married, changing last names, and moving. I think this year I’ll start a Google doc of addresses that way it’s easy to print them on mailing labels. I still love having a paper address book too just because it’s easy to grab and adds some vintage looking decor to my desk. I’ve linked a few cute address books below. I think an address book would make such a great house warming or wedding gift!
Ps. wondering what to do with all of the Christmas cards you received this year? Create a fun booklet to add to each year. All you need is a hole punch and binder ring. I like to hang ours on one of these magnets on the fridge and flip through them year after year. Just pack it up with your Christmas decor when the holiday season is over!
I hope this post helped you master how to write a thank you card that you are proud to send! Thank you so much for reading and supporting my blog!
Xo, Ciara
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