Ever worried about sending a thank you note because you didn’t know what to write? Or better yet when to write one? Have you worried about your penmanship or grammar? What about what stationary to use? Well look no further! Writing a thank you note can be a daunting but necessary task and I’m here to help you through it.

When Should I Write One?

There’s never a time when you SHOULDN’T write a thank you card. If you’re thankful for something someone did or said to make your day a little brighter, write a card. I’ve never heard of someone being pissed that they got a card, only when they didn’t. So when is it necessary to write one is the question. Send a card whenever you’ve thrown a party and have gotten a gift, simple as that! It wouldn’t hurt to send a thank you card if you were invited to someone’s home for a fancy dinner party either. I say if you felt the love in whatever gift was given or occasion celebrated, send a card.

 

The Structure

The most important thing about a thank you card is what you say in the card itself. There’s a structure you should follow and as such,  I’ve devised an easy to follow guide so that you easily hit all the important points.

Greeting

This is the standard “Dear John” salutation that begins every note. However if you wanted to try something a little more informal start with the recipient’s name, for example simply state “John,”  and then begin your letter. To play up the fun factor you could also try “Hey John!” or “Dearest John” if you want to go the romantic route.

The Gift

This is the part where you thank them for the gift. You want to be specific here and make sure that you mention the gift by name so that your recipient knows that you recognize that they were the giver of that spectacular gift. For example, “Thank you for that efficient lint roller” or ” I really appreciated the sexy edible underwear”. Use an adjective to describe the gift thus driving the point home that you took the time to recognize how awesome the gift was (even if it wasn’t).

Why You Like It

It’s easy to simply thank the addressee for their creative, sexy, and efficient gift, but you also want to tell them why you like it by stating how you will put the gift  to good use. Something to the effect of “I can’t wait to wear those sexy undergarments on my honeymoon, I know my husband will get a kick out of it” or “I’m always finding myself without a lint roller when I’m in a bind so I know that it will come in handy when in my next pinch”. Even if you have no use for the gift and it’s going in the junk drawer that’s no excuse for not showing your appreciation. Picking out a good gift is hard, and it’s truly the thought that counts(even if you think it didn’t take much thought to pick out said lint roller).

Let’s Not Make it All About the Gift

Let your friend know how good it was to see them at this junction in your note. if they had on a gorgeous outfit, or you can remember a conversation you had while at the party mention it here. It truly shows that this note is personal and you took the time to really think about them and not just the gift. Something to the effect of  “I always love seeing you and catching up on the current events of our lives” or “It’s always great seeing you and you looked so divine in that mint green dress”.

Close it On Out

In this step you thank them again and perhaps if you have a date already on the calendar when you will be seeing them again, you mention that as well. ” Thank you again Sara I loved the gift and I’m really looking forward to brunch next month! Sincerely…” If you’d simply like to close the note with another thank you try, “Again I adored your gift and thank you, Lots Of Love…” You can never go wrong with sending one more thank you and your ending line doesn’t necessarily have to be “Sincerely”. If you’re pretty close think of an ending salutation that is personal.

Now the hard work has been completed, here are some further tips and tricks to help you out.

But My Hand Writing SUCKS

Look who’s really a calligrapher nowadays anyway, and with computers and other forms of technology no one hand writes letters anymore so don’t feel frustrated if you have less than perfect hand writing. Simply write your letter slow and deliberately and as long as it’s legible you’ll be just fine. Plus if you’re using pretty stationery it won’t matter that much anyway. The important thing is that the letter is handwritten and personal so don’t go typing it up!

Speaking of Stationary

There are so many fab stationery stores. I particularly like Target stationary as it is affordable and there are tons of options. But I have to say although a bit on the pricey side Sugar Paper is a favorite as well. You don’t have to break the bank on stationary and I’ve found beautiful stationary in my local grocery store.

 

So Weekender’s did you find any new tips that you didn’t previously think about? Do you have any parties you’ll be attending that can put this post to good use? Let me know your thoughts! As always in closing “Keep the party goin”.

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