How to Word Baby Gift Thank You Notes

If you've been recently showered with gifts for an upcoming or newborn baby, you may have some anxiety about writing all of those thank you notes. Don't let this minor activity stress you out! Writing baby gift thank you notes can be a nice way to count your blessings.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Thank you note cards or nice stationary
• A list of baby gifts you've received
• Your address book
• A gracious heart

1. Opening Line
   
   If the thank you note recipient attended a baby shower or similar function held in your honor, it is a nice touch to start your note by thanking them for attending. If you remember having a specific conversation about something, you could mention it.
   
   Example: "I really enjoyed seeing you at my recent baby shower and visiting about the joys of labor. Thank you for coming!"

2. Thank Them Specifically for the Gift
   
   Specifically mention the gift they gave you. A note saying "thank you for the baby gift" is too generic and suggests you don't really remember what you received.
   
   You might start your sentence with "We really like" or "We look forward to using the" followed by a description of the item. You could combine this with the information in Step 4.

3. Describe Your Use of the Gift
   
   If appropriate, your next line could tell how you plan to use the gift or how you have already used it. If the gift was a gift card or cash, you could mention something specific you hope to buy.
   
   Examples: "We can't wait to put the baby's photo in the beautiful picture frame" or "Baby _________ looks adorable in the lovely outfit you gave us" or "We look forward to using the wonderful stroller for walks in the park."

4. Closing
   
   If you haven't already said "thank you" explicitly, be sure to do this in the closing. Other nice closings might be an invitation to see the baby after it is born, or a happy message about your family.
   
   Examples: "Be sure to visit us after the baby is born" or "We are really looking forward to welcoming our new addition."

Tips & Warnings

• Write your thank you notes as soon as possible after receiving the gifts. If you put it off too long, your embarrassment may prevent you from ever getting it done.
• If you are writing thank you notes after the birth of the baby, you might consider taking pictures of the baby with the gift (if appropriate) to include with your thank you note. While this is time consuming, it makes for a fun personal touch.
• The most important tip is to be gracious!
• Don't be too generic in your message or people will think you forgot what they gave you. However, if you have honestly forgotten, don't let that prevent you from writing a thank you note. It is more embarrassing to not acknowledge the gift.

[nicolecox]

on 7/8/2009 Great ideas! This will take the guesswork out of writing thank you notes for a lot of different occasions!