The Art of the Thank You Letter

Your Guide to Sending Out the Sincerest Thank Yous

Though the holidays are behind us, it isn’t yet time to give up our abundant feelings of gratitude. Whatever it is that you celebrate, chances are that you have picked up a present or two in the last few weeks. As any thoughtful Single Girl knows, now comes the time to show your appreciation for all of those gifts. To get you on your way, we’ve got your guide and a free downloadable template to help you write the perfect thank you notes.

What to Send

A simple hand written card will suffice. Either pick up a blank card from your favorite shop or test your calligraphy skills and create your own. The most important thing here, is to make sure that you craft your own message rather than simply borrowing someone else’s words. It doesn’t have to be more than a few sentences but adding that personal touch truly makes a world of difference.

What to Say

1. Greet Your Giver

Start your note by greeting the person whom you’re writing to by name. This might seem obvious but it’s a small step that will make your note feel much more personal. If you are writing to a close friend or family member, greeting them with their first name or whatever nickname you usually call them by is perfect. For a boss or associate make sure to use the level of formality which you feel is most suitable.

2. Thank them for their Gift

Once you’ve set up your greeting, jump right in with your thank you. No need to wait to get to the point! Tell them how appreciative you are for thinking of you/their gift/their generosity/etc…

3. Share Examples of How You’ll Use it

Share a sentence or two about how you plan to use the gift you’ve been given. For example, if you’ve been given a gift card to your favorite store, tell them about a pair of earrings you’ve had your eye on and can’t wait to get. Then share an occasion when you plan to where those new earrings. The idea here is to show how much the gift really means to you.

4. Make it Personal

If the gift you were given has any personal connections to it acknowledge them at this point. Taking the earrings example, you might share that you’ll always think of the person when you’re wearing them. Alternatively, you might acknowledge how perfect the present was since the gift card was from your favorite store.

5. Sign Out

Close out your thank you note by wishing the person well. Thank them again and then sign off with your signature closing line…sincerely, all the best, with love… and your name.

How to Send It

I would recommend sending your thank you note via snail mail. It’s not often that we get something delivered to us that isn’t junk or a bill. While I’m a fan of e-cards for things like invitations, I think they are a bit cold as a thank you. Best to spend the little extra time and money to send the real deal.

When to Send It

Try and send your thank you letters out as quickly as possible. If you wait too long you risk degrading the value of the note. You want the receiver to feel like you were so excited about the gift that you couldn’t help but let them know immediately. Of course, if you can’t get them out first thing, late is always better than never.