Thank You Card Wording And How To Write Thank You Notes

Write a thank you message that captures the power of Thank You

One of my most important goals in life is to teach my children that the simple act of saying ‘thank you’ is among the most important things they can do. Of course, saying ‘please’ ranks right up there, but ‘thank you’ takes the cake for me.

Teach children to say thank you

Two simple words – thank you – hold so much power. Saying thank you not only expresses gratitude but also respect, courtesy and often love. For a child, saying thank you is short and sweet. For us grown-ups, it can become a more intricate task, especially when we are putting our thoughts into writing.

I would certainly say there is an art to good thank you note wording.

My mom writes me thank you messages for just about everything. I save all of them, not only because it makes me feel good to read them, but also because they are treasure troves of memories, helping me recall how we celebrated special occasions and how I expressed my love to her in gifts.

How to Write Thank You Notes

For me, the number one rule in how to write thank you cards is to try not to make it read like a thank you note. Confused? How boring is it to read “Thank you for the blender. It blends really well. We will get a lot of use out of our blender. Thanks again.” Blah. Instead, try something like…

Thank you for the fabulous blender!

“Obviously, you know I’m a margarita fan, and now, thanks to you, my Cocina Mexicana is complete. I’ve already found the perfect spot for my shiny, new Oster on my counter. All we have left to do is pick a date and a recipe!  Thank you for your thoughtful generosity.”

I said thank you, but it wasn’t the first phrase and it wasn’t at all bland. I created thank you note wording that illustrated my gratitude and enthusiasm.

Keep Your Thank you Message Simple

Thank you messages needn’t be verbose. Say what you need to say and move on. Contrary to my mom’s approach, in which she details every gift, exactly what she loves about it and precisely how she will enjoy it, I prefer to take a modified approach in thank you card wording (see margaritas above). Write just enough to express your sincere gratitude without sounding insincere. My rule of thumb is to accomplish three things: express gratitude, identify the item or act for which you are grateful, and say why.  In the example above, I mentioned my love of margaritas, identified the much-appreciated blender and expressed my gratitude for the giver’s kindness, all in 50 words.

You Should Always Say Thank You

So you didn’t like what you got? YES, you still need to say thank you. Akin to the Rolling Stones song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” you don’t always want what you get. Regardless, you still have to say thank you, because the giver still gave you something (like it or not!). Turn a negative into a positive, like this…

“Auntie Lottie, your knitting skills never cease to amaze me! The snowman sweater you sent shows just how talented you are. It will surely keep me warm on chilly nights. It was so kind of you to think of me; thank you.”

Thanks for the...uh...snowman sweater...

Thank you card wording can creatively convey your sincere gratitude without being dishonest about your feelings toward the gift itself.

Hand-Written Notes are a Must

I know it’s easy to shoot off a quick email. I know you hate your handwriting (we all do!). I know it takes time and thought that you just don’t feel like spending to write a thank you note or carefully select thank you card wording.  But you should. Writing thank you messages by hand is simply the right thing to do. If someone goes to the trouble to do something for you or give something to you, you should extend the courtesy of a hand-written thank you to express your gratitude and show respect.

In her book, For the Love of Letters, fellow Giftsin24.com blogger Samara O’Shea offers a helpful and enjoyable chapter on how to write thank you notes. In addition to offering useful insight, it’s an enjoyable read, too; you can find it here at Giftsin24.com along with a variety of unique personalized thank you cards.

Samara O'Shea's "For the Love of Letters"

You can also check out our blog on summer thank you cards, which has great information on expressing gratitude for weddings, showers and all of summer’s special events.

Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with you!

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