My mom raised me to write thank you cards. I don’t remember a time I didn’t write them. Everybody likes to be thanked and it typically doesn’t even take a long time. Plus, getting personal mail these days is almost a gift for the thank you card recipient too!
I’ve partnered with Basic Invite to bring you some tips together for writing thank you notes so you don’t forget anything.
Tips for writing thank you notes.
1. At the party or shower.
At baby showers I’ve attended recently, the host or hostess already has thank you cards printed that match the baby shower invitations. When the guests arrive, they address their thank you envelope to make it even easier on the expectant mom. I think this is a great touch. The invitations and thank you cards match for extra special coordination and the expectant parents don’t have to find new and updated addresses. (Tip, grab those addresses off the thank you cards before mailing them so you have them for the birth announcements you will send out in the future).
2. Involve the kids early.
Our oldest two are now at the age where they write their own thank you notes. And, they are really good at it! The younger two still get most of the help from us, but they still know what we are doing and why we are doing it. And as time goes on, they will go from just scribbling on their cards, to writing their names, to filling in the blanks to writing the whole note.
3. Order cute and / or coordinated cards with the invitations.
It helps that the thank you cards are really cute, too. And, I don’t just mean with the kids. When I have a cute card on which to write, it makes me happy to write it out! Plus, if you’ve already ordered them with the party invitations, you have them all ready to send out as soon as the party is over (okay, well, not right away, take a little time to pat yourself on the back for having a successful party, and then get to writing them.)
4. Write it down.
When a gift or act is done, write it down to remind yourself to write and send a thank you card. Put is with the thank you notes, in your planner, or somewhere that you will see it so you actually remember to send them out! If it’s at a party, make sure there is somebody responsible for recording gifts.
5. In the thank you note.
I try to follow a little formula for thank you notes.
- address them by name
- thank them for the gift / action, specifically by name
- tell them why you liked what the thank you know is being sent for
- add one more thank you in
- sign with a closing and your name
I know that probably seems obvious, but it’s a great starting place. It’s also nice because I’ve received notes that say “thank you for the gift” and that’s it. I don’t gift for a thank you note, but if one is sent, I want to make sure they received the right thing (My sister ordered a milk frother one time. She received a silver turkey. I would would never know if they received a silver turkey and were meant to receive a milk frother without it mentioned in the card.)
I think sometimes people forget how nice it is to receive a written note. Not only does it show appreciation, but it let’s a gift giver know that the gift was received. Plus, I think writing the notes not only shows the appreciation, but it also helps you (me) to remember who sent the gift. I can remember almost all gifts we have received (even wedding presents). Mr. Serious, on the other hand doesn’t remember nearly as many because his slow writing got him off the hook for many of the notes that were sent out.
It is so easy to find custom thank you cards these days, too. With places like Basic Invite, you can order highly customized baby shower invitations, birth announcements, first birthday invitations and more.
Almost Unlimited Colors – Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. Once you select a design you can change the color of each element on the card to over 160 different color options so you can make sure the card is exactly how you want it down to the littlest detail.
Custom Samples – Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers the ability to order a printed sample of their actual invitation so they can see exactly how it will print as well as the paper quality before they ever have to place an order for 500 invitations.
Over 40 Different Colors of Envelopes – Basic Invite is just as colorful with their envelopes as we are with their invitations. Customers can choose from over 40 different colors when it comes to their envelopes so that they can make their invitation stand out even before it is opened. All of their envelopes are peel and seal so the envelopes can be quickly and securely closed without having to lick a single one.
Krystyn has been blogging since 2005. She is a sarcasm-loving, straight-shooting, jeans and t-shirts wearing, wife and mom of four girls (ages 11, 9, 5 and 3). She blogs about life as a mom and wife and includes anecdotes, funny stories (both mommy and other), family travel and more. She currently resides in the Atlanta suburbs.
I totally write thank you cards all the time! For everything. Yes it doesent take that long and my sons will grow up writing them. I think everything deserves a shout out to the person!
I'd agree with you. A thank you note is a nice gesture. My mom taught me to write thank yous. But so many people don't even think to do it.
I was raised to send thank you cards for everything. Following one of my bridal showers, I wrote our cards while my husband drove us 5 hours home. I finished almost all of the cards in that time. After our wedding, cards were sent out within a month. We went to two weddings last summer and just got the thank you cards. One was a generic thank you – printed on a piece of paper that the couple had copied. They cut the paper in several pieces (saving paper, I guess) and sent everyone the same thank you!!
I get pretty upset when I don't a thank you note. I have stopped giving gifts to some people because I don't receive any sort of Thank you…no verbal, no phone call, no text message, no email and definitely not a note in the mail. That doesn't really want me to keep giving people things!!
After I got married I had ALL of my thank you cards out in less than a month….it doesn't take that long too do and a little goes a long way!!
I've sent thank you notes for all of my graduation gifts and post surgery gifts.
Birthday gifts come from my family so I just tell them in person. Some of my family would just throw them away, so I don't waste my time. If I even mention thank you cards they tell me not to bother. They much prefer phone calls.
Peel and seal!! Now that kind of speed is talking my language! My mom taught me to write thank you notes, too. I’m better about it with some occasions than others!
Cute ides , I am glad to I am not the only one who still take the tine to write thank you cards , instead of sending them out on facebook, some one did that for a baby shower.
I always make an effort and personally appreciate family and friends when the need arises. Thanks for sharing.