How To Write a Thank You Card: 10 Tips & Examples

Whether you receive a generous gift from a loved one for a special event in your life or you want to send a simple thank you note to someone for being there for you, a handwritten note is a thoughtful, memorable way to make a person feel appreciated.

If writing thank you notes isn't your specialty, you are not alone. Many people struggle to put pen to paper because they don't know what to write in a thank you note, but you're in luck!

In this post, we're providing some helpful, creative ideas and tips to help you get started and make the entire writing experience easier. We'll also share some examples of different situations, events, and types of thank you cards to send.

Without further ado, here's how to write a thank you note that your loved ones will cherish!

Main Takeaways From This Article:

• The wording for your thank you card is completely up to you. However, you might want to think about the recipient, the gifts you've received, the occasion, and how you plan to use the gift. These factors could inspire what you write in your thank you note .

• Consider what you want to say in a thank you note and how you want to make the recipient feel. Acknowledge the person's thoughtfulness and generosity and how grateful you are.

• Thank you letters and notes can be customized with photos, text, templates, backgrounds, and more on Optimalprint.

• From wedding thank you cards to simple notes thanking someone for spending time together, any reason you want to write a thank you note is good.

10 Tips on How To Write a Thank You Card

A heartfelt thank you note is a simple way to show appreciation for anyone in your life. There are many events and reasons to send a thank you card: a baby shower, wedding gift, Christening, graduation, or a quick thank you note for birthday money. No matter what the occasion, saying thank you in a personal way never goes unnoticed.

Express gratitude for people's thoughtfulness and kindness in a meaningful way with the following ten tips and message examples. Here's our complete guide to writing the perfect thank you card.

1. Think About Your Relationship With the Recipient

Before you start writing, take a moment to think about your relationship with the person who will receive the card. If it's a close friend or family member, you may use more personal card wording and find it easier to express gratitude. For extended family, coworkers, and acquaintances, you will likely use more formal phrases and be more selective in your word choice.

2. Choose a Custom Thank You Note

The power of a handwritten thank you note can’t be denied, but why not take it a step further with custom-designed cards from Optimalprint? Add your own personal touch with a photo or quote, and choose from elegant layouts and card templates that fit your personality. You can pick from simple, minimalist themes or choose a vibrant and fun vibe with bright colours and patterns. Expressing your gratitude and thankfulness through a sweet message is easy with custom thank you notes, and Optimalprint offers fantastic customization options that make the process feel even more personal.

3. Keep It Short and Sweet

It can be easy to overthink the wording of your thank you notes, but we highly encourage you to keep them short and sweet. Following card etiquette is a great idea, but you can still express your appreciation with a simple "thank you so much" and a few other lines of text. Whether this person made a generous contribution to your honeymoon fund, attended your child's first birthday party, or sent you flowers and well wishes in a birthday card, a thoughtful message doesn't have to be a novel to be appreciated. Send your love and thankfulness, and bid them farewell!

4. Remain Sincere and Timely

Don't try to force any language or phrases that you would never use in real life. A thank you message should sound conversational, upbeat, sincere, and to the point.

While sending a late note is better than no note, thank you card etiquette recommends sending notes to each card recipient within a week of the event. This timeframe conveys that your priority is to write thank you notes so everyone who attended your event feels appreciated.

There are exceptions to this rule, of course. For example, sending wedding thank you cards is typically encouraged within the month of the wedding date. Still, many couples send theirs within the first three months because of the honeymoon and other events after their big day.

5. Open Your Card With a Greeting

Begin your thank you message with a friendly greeting. Many people use "Dear" or "Hi" with the card recipient's name following the salutation. As you write thank you cards, you may choose to try various greetings to see what you like and what feels most authentic.

6. Write a Strong Thank You Message

After the greeting, jump right into the thank you note! Express that you are forever grateful for whatever they gave you. Whether it was a generous wedding present or a thoughtful graduation gift, celebrating important life events and creating memories with loved ones certainly deserves acknowledgement. Get to the point with your thank you notes to ensure the recipient feels your sincerity.

7. Add Specific Details to Your Thank You Card

Including personal details in each thank you note will make the recipient feel valued, instead of feeling like they are receiving a generic mass-produced thank you message. Use details in each thank you card wording unique to the person, from describing your love for the specific gift they sent to a memory you shared at the event. Mentioning these reasons for the thank you card will give it a personal touch only you can provide.

8. Write a Forward-Looking Statement

Explain in detail how you'll use their gift and how it impacts your future. Let's say you received a wedding gift in the form of a generous gift card that you plan to use for new dishes or appliances in your home. Share those details with the gift-giver so they can imagine you utilizing their gift in a unique, helpful way.

9. Reiterate Your Thanks

There can't be too many expressions of gratitude in thank you letters! Once you've created a forward-looking statement about how you'll use the gift, expand upon your appreciation for their generosity with one final "thank you so much" to reiterate your gratitude.

10. End With Your Regards

Before signing off, wish the recipient well and mention any plans to see them in the future. If this is a formal thank you note, use a professional closing statement like "Best Wishes" or "Warm Regards." On the flip side, if you are sending wedding thank you notes, these can be more personal and warmer. Try "Sending love," "Many thanks," or "Gratefully yours."

Thank You Card Examples and Ideas

Now that you know how to craft the perfect thank you card, you may be looking for some examples of text to use as you create your own thank you cards. Keep reading for various thank you card wording examples that you can use as-is or simply for inspiration.

Short Thank You Phrases

• Thank you so much!

• Sending warm thanks and well wishes.

• From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

• Words can't express my thanks and appreciation.

• Thank you for your generosity!

• You made my day.

• Thank you for thinking of me!

Thank You Messages for Gifts

• Thank you for the most thoughtful and generous gift.

• You always know exactly what to get me; thank you for knowing me so well!

• My sincerest thanks for the generous and perfect gift.

• Your birthday gift touched my heart and made me feel loved.

• Thank you so much for the perfect wedding gift. We will use the wine glasses [or any other gift] often and think of you!

• Your sweet gift for our new baby brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for supporting us on our next adventure!

• I am continuously amazed by your perfect gifts every year. I will use this gift all the time; thank you so much!

Thank You Messages for Services

• This thank you card can't compare to how much you've helped me recently. I am forever grateful for you and your unwavering support.

• Thank you for helping me prepare for my job interview. You helped me gain confidence, and I feel great about it!

• I am endlessly appreciative of your patience and understanding as I go through this challenging time.

• Thank you for always encouraging me to believe in myself and follow my dreams.

• You've been here for the most important moments of my life, and I could not imagine my life without you.

• On my wedding day, I want to say thank you for supporting me through everything and always encouraging me to believe in love.

• Thank you for being my biggest supporter and always seeing the best in me!

Funny Thank You Messages

• Thank you for the gift – all I expected was a lump of coal!

• I don't know how I feel about turning another year older, but your gift has made it easier!

• Aren't you thankful that I'm your friend? Because I sure am grateful you are mine!

• I am so thankful for you that I plan on starting a fan club in your honour!

• Roses are red. Violets are blue. I'm so lucky to have a friend like you.

• A thousand thank yous can't express my gratitude, so here's this piece of paper instead.

• You're the best thing since sliced bread. Thank you!

Formal Thank You Messages

• Thank you for taking time out of your day for my job interview. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and look forward to hearing more about the role. I hope to hear from you soon!

• I am very thankful for the time and effort you put into my professional development. Your guidance and support will always be remembered. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

• Sending my sincere thanks and appreciation for your support and guidance. Please accept my deepest gratitude for all the assistance and encouragement you provided me when I needed it. Best wishes!

• Thank you so much for the assistance you've provided to my business. I genuinely appreciate your time and effort, and I look forward to working together in the future.

• I wanted to thank you as soon as possible for the insights, advice, and confidence you've instilled in me. Please accept my deepest thanks and gratitude.

• I want to acknowledge your efforts and thoughtfulness in welcoming me as a new team member. I look forward to collaborating on future projects. Thanks again!

Design and Print the Perfect Thank You Card With Optimalprint

As you can see, sending a thank you note is much more than just scribbling a few words down on some stationery.

Whether thanking your entire family for their love and support on your wedding day, sending a simple note to a friend for pet sitting, or sending a handwritten card to an acquaintance for a thoughtful gift, thank you cards are an easy way to make someone feel special and appreciated.

If you want to level up your thank you notes, Optimalprint is here to help. With our easy-to-use editor, you can quickly and efficiently create custom thank you notes to send to all your family, friends, peers, and acquaintances.

The process is seamless; cards can be created on a computer or using the Optimalprint app on your smartphone. Simply upload a photo or choose from thousands of designs and templates on our site to make your thank you notes stand out. You'll be sending out thoughtful and custom thank you cards in no time! Choose a card and start designing today.