Taking the time to hand write a note - especially a thank you
note - is such a wonderful and personal gesture. Receiving a note can be the
bright spot in someone’s day and it says a lot about how much you value their
friendship.
Of course, a note is welcome any time, but I truly believe it’s
just good manners to send notes after receiving gifts, kind gestures or simply
just because...
The impact of a thank you note is very powerful. Words of
gratitude that are written - hand written, that is – on beautiful stationery
and postal mailed to a lucky recipient says a lot about you and a lot about how
special you think they are.
It is such a wonderful characteristic to show gratitude and
there is nothing more personal and more lasting for showing gratitude than a
thank you note.
So today, get out your favorite note paper or note cards and
write a thank you to a very special someone.
The Thank
-You Note Guide
Use
this guide to help you fashion the perfect note to express your gratitude.
When to Send a
Thank-You Note
Etiquette requires you to
send a thank-you note in the following situations:
Wedding gifts
Bridal
shower and baby shower gifts
Holiday , birthday, Bar/Bat mitzvah, graduation, and
housewarming gifts
Sympathy letters, flowers, mass cards, or donations made in the
deceased’s name
Thank-you notes are not necessarily required but are a nice gesture in the following situations:
When a
host has treated you to a cocktail party, dinner, or concert
After
a job interview
Anytime you feel particularly indebted to someone
6 Components of the
Thank-You Note
1. Address the giver.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, or Dear Mary,
It may seem obvious, but addressing the giver
directly rather than simply starting your letter gives your note a more
personal touch.
2. Express your gratitude.
Thank you so much for the silver picture frame.
Be sure to be specific when you mention the gift.
Instead of just saying “Thank you for the glasses." try “Thank you for the
beautiful crystal champagne flutes." It will make your note feel more
personal and less generic.
If the gift was money, never directly mention
“cash” in the note. Instead, thank the giver for his generosity.
3. Discuss how you plan to use the gift or how
much the gesture means to you.
We've put a picture of the family on our last
vacation inside it and placed it on our mantel. It looks great!
Mention how you intend to use the gift and
compliment it in some way. If the gift was money, allude to how you intend to
use the money by saying something like, “It will be a great help to us when we
purchase...”
It is sometimes more helpful to describe how
meaningful the gesture is to you, such as "John and I know you spent
countless hours assembling this photo album, and we will always treasure
it."
4. Mention your relationship to the giver.
It was great seeing you at the house warming
party, and we hope to see you again this spring at the reunion.
Somehow acknowledge your relationship to the
giver and their importance in your life by mentioning the past and alluding to
when you might encounter them again in the future. If the person is someone you
don’t usually see, simply say something like, “You are in my thoughts, and I
hope all is well."
5. Reiterate your gratitude.
Thank you again for your kind gift.
6. Regards.
Sincerely,
John and Mary Doe
John and Mary Doe
A thank-you note is exclusively about
expressing your gratitude, so don’t worry if your note seems short and simple.
The only hard and fast rule is that it be sincere - even if you cannot stomach
the present, you can express gratitude for the gesture, at the very least.
It's All About Timing
It is best to send your thank-you note as soon
as you can, within a week if possible. Princess Diana is said to have written
her thank-you notes each evening before bed. While you probably don't need a
daily routine, some discipline is helpful, particularly with those notes which
are difficult to write, as when you don't know the addressee well. Having
stationery you enjoy using, a comfortable pen, and a storage of stamps can
help, along with a designated writing desk and good light. Soon you will find
yourself writing notes for no reason at all.
While you should try to send thank-you notes
within a week or two, "better late than never" certainly applies. If
you're a month or more late, still send your note, but make it particularly
thoughtful. There's no need to waste space with excuses because there are none
-- just apologize and carry on. Your recipient will be just as delighted to get
your note.
Now, I hope this gets the pen flowing and the
thank you notes going.
