It’s common these days to underestimate the power of handwritten thank you cards, especially when it may seem easier to send a quick email or text message, but sending personalized thank you cards or notes says so much more. By sending custom thank you cards, you’re letting friends and loved ones know they’re important enough to you to write a special message on a printed and mailed card of your design. Truly, there’s no substitute for this kind of gesture. Sentiments and wording personalized for a particular recipient have the power to make their day better, and as expressed gratitude for Christmas or holiday gifts, graduation gifts (or even money), baby shower gifts, sympathy cards or in memoriam gifts, birthday gifts, and more—including simple acts of support or kindness. Sending custom thank you cards to family and friends is the perfect way to express gratitude on a deeper level.
That said, it can be challenging deciding what to write in custom thank you cards and appreciation cards, whether for wedding, graduation, baby showers, or any other important life event. Composing an appropriate message—tuned to your heart and the heart of your recipient—isn’t an easy thing. With that in mind, we’ve composed this step-by-step guide on how to write thank you cards. Since this article related to what to write in thank you cards features a wealth of information, you can jump to specific sections using the links below. One great way to find ideas on thank you card wording is to look at examples—take a look at our wonderful assortment of custom thank you cards to find just the thing you’re looking for.
- What to write in thank you cards
- Short thank you phrases
- Thank you messages for gifts
- Thank you messages for services
- Thank you card etiquette
What to Write in Thank You Cards
You can simplify your thank you card writing process by sticking to a few core rules and tips that add clarity. Since you’ll want to craft the perfect note of gratitude, always assess your relationship with the recipient to guide your wording. Follow steps one through six below if you’re having trouble deciding what to write in thank you cards and notes:
- Open your card with a greeting that addresses your card recipient. “Dear,” is a safe standby greeting that is commonly used for notes and cards. If you have a closer relationship with your card recipient you may decide to just use the recipient’s name or even a nickname. One thing to make sure of here, is that you’re using the correct form and spelling of the person’s name and anyone else’s names you might be using in your thank you message.
- Write a thank you message to express your gratitude. Next, it’s your chance to say what are arguably the two most important words in the card: thank you. You’ll want to make sure your thanks makes an appearance at the beginning of any thank you message. Although it seems like just two short words, there are many different ways to say thanks. When trying to find the perfect wording, keep in mind whom it is you are speaking to and use your own personal style to guide your selection.
- Add specific details to your thank you cards. To make your personalized thank you cards a one-of-a-kind, it’s important that you add specific detail to your thanks. What exactly is it that you are thanking this person for? Did they do something more, something that specifically made you feel special? If so, include that in the note. There are a lot of occasions that deserve a special thanks. Like we said before, people love to feel appreciated and remember that they might not even know that they made a special impact on you until you thank them for it. If they gave you a gift, now would be a good time to describe how you’re going to use it. If they threw you a party, tell them what your favorite part was. If you are close with the card recipient, you can include inside jokes, or anything special that the two of you share. Crafting a sincere and heartfelt thank you card message is all about personalization.
- Write a forward-looking statement. Mention the next time that you may see them, inquire about something going on in their life, or just let them know that they are in your thoughts.
- Reiterate your thanks. As you begin to close the message in your thank you cards, restate your reason for writing the note. Add details to say thanks in a different way. This also serves as a great way to signal that your thank you note is coming to an end.
- End with your regards. The sign off you select will depend on your relationship with the recipient. For more formal thank you letters like a post-interview thank you note or a letter for your boss, select a professional closing. If you are crafting a more personal message for your wedding thank you cards or bridal shower thank you cards, you might select a warmer closing.
Thank you notes are appropriate after many different occasions. Anyone who throws a party, gives a gift or takes time to do something for you deserves to be appreciated. If someone went out of their way for you it’s nice of you to acknowledge it. There is no event, action or occasion that doesn’t deserve a thanks. Your thank you messages don’t have to be two pages long, short and sweet will do the trick.
We all appreciate our actions getting noticed, especially when we did something nice for someone. These thank you card templates and examples for various occasions should leave you with zero questions on what to say in custom thank you cards and will give you some ideas for proper appreciation.