TIPS FOR A THOUGHTFUL THANK YOU NOTE
Not to toot my own horn, but I write a mean thank you note. I’m constantly being complimented by family & friends on how wonderful my thank you notes are. It’s something that is continually mentioned months and even years later, so I wanted to share some of my thank you note expertise with you.
As it’s officially February, that means engagement season is coming to a close, and soon enough all of our social calendars will be filled with an endless amount of parties for everything from House Warmings, Baby Showers, Engagements, Bridal Showers, Weddings & Birthdays. If you’re on the receiving end for any of these occasions, now is the perfect time to brush up on how and when you should send a thank you note.
THANK YOU NOTE 101
A thank you note is typically a hand written note that’s written to express gratitude or appreciation for a gift, favor, act of service / hospitality, or opportunity that someone gives to you. These notes should be sent to the original gift giver shortly after receiving the gift, which typically means within a few weeks to a month from when you received the gift.
TIPS TO ENHANCE YOUR NOTE
THE PHYSICAL NOTE
- Always keep thank you notes & stamps on hand, so that you can easily send one when the opportunity arises.
- If you have multiple options of stationery or stamps, select the one that you think would be best suited to the gift giver’s personality or color palate.
WRITING TIPS
- Write the note with clear handwriting, so that it’s legible and easy to read.
- Fluff it up. Make the note longer by elaborating in your sentences and using a variety of adjectives for added flair. The longer the note, the more heart felt and sincere it will come across.
- Mix up your word choice – Thank You, Appreciation, Gratitude, Acknowledge, Hat Tip, Thankful, Value, Cherish, Treasure are just a few that you can sprinkle into your note to make it less repetitive.
- If your note is too long, take advantage of the back or inside flap of the card to continue your thanks, instead of cutting off the note abruptly to fit.
- Send the note in a timely manner. Typically the faster you send the note, the more impressed the original gift giver is by your appreciation.
TEXTING TIPS
- A thank you text message, while it may be well intentioned, does not compare to receiving a handwritten note.
- Following a hand written note, an additional text or photo message when using the gift for the first time, is an unexpected, yet easy, way to continue showing your thanks for that person. It’s surely going to warm their day and it will make you look great in their eyes.
TIPS FOR THE BRIDE
- Keep a gift log that indicates any gifts you received, who they were from, when they were given, and if you’ve sent a thank you note yet.
- Write the note from both yourself and your significant other by using the pronouns of “we”, “us” “our” instead of “I” “my” & “me”.
- Always have your significant other read every single thank you note that you send in full.
- If you have multiple events that are in close proximity to one another, ensure that the thank you note for the first event is delivered prior to sending an invitation to the second event. For example a bridal shower thank you note should be delivered before they receive the formal wedding invitation.
THE ANATOMY OF A THANK YOU NOTE
Now that we know when to send a note, let’s use those tools to write the perfect thank you note that will expresses your appreciation to the gift giver, highlight the gift, reconfirm your relationship and allude to a continued future with that person. These six steps, combined with the general tips above will make you a Thank You note pro in no time!
STEP 1. THE GREETING
Begin the card with “Dear” followed by their name.
STEP 2. THE FIRST THANK YOU
This first sentence should give an overarching view of why you’re sending the note. You can begin with phrases like
“Wow! That gift of ____ truly blew me away”
“I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated ____”
“I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I am for ______”
STEP 3. THE USE OF THE GIFT
This should be 1-2 sentences about the joy you’ll receive from using the gift. In the instance of a monetary gift, you should allude to what you’ll plan to use the money towards.
“The platter you gave me is truly gorgeous! It’s going to be the crowning jewel on our table at our next dinner party.”
“We’re put your extremely generous gift towards our honeymoon. Your gift allowed us to have a truly memorable beachside dinner in Mexico. We enjoyed the freshest fish tacos that we ever had in our lives. It was such a special memory!”
STEP 4. RECONFIRM YOUR RELATIONSHIP
This part is where you tell the guest how wonderful it was to see them, and what their friendship means to you.
“It was so kind of you to come all the way to my shower! You’re a truly wonderful friend, and I appreciate you always making the time for our friendship, and celebrating with me!”
“It was fantastic seeing you at our engagement party, I couldn’t have imagined it without you!”
STEP 5. ADDITIONAL THANK YOU & NOTE ABOUT THE FUTURE
Write in an additional thank you to close the note, and another line about the future.
“Thanks again for everything! We look forward to continuing the celebrations next year at our big day!”
“I can’t even begin to thank you enough & I can’t wait to have more happy memories with you this summer!”
STEP 6. CLOSING
End the note with a farewell such as “Love” or “Best” or “Sincerely” pending your relationship with that person and sign your name
“Love,
Tracy”
Be sure to comment with your favorite tip from above & follow me @HousewifeHospitality for more tips for being hospitable!
