How to Write Thoughtful Thank You Messages

If you need to write thank you cards to guests and you're having trouble figuring out what to say, read on to get a few tips for writing lovely thank you messages.

Instructions

1. 

   *Remember a few important things before creating messages

   There are a few things to keep in mind when writing thank you messages.

   Always use the name of the person in the message. If you are not well-acquainted with the person or people, always use last names. "Ms." is perfectly acceptable for married or single women. If you aren't sure, use "Ms.". Don't make a guess.

   Always specifically mention WHY you are thanking the person. If you are thanking them for a gift, thank them for the item and give them one reason why you're glad you received the gift. For example:

   Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith,

   Thank you so much for the new cookware. I was hoping someone would purchase it from our registry so that I can make Mark's favorite pasta! It is much appreciated.

   Sincerely,

   Jane and Mark Jones

   Gift thank you messages, then, are easily written if you mention a few specifics.
   If it's impossible to say something specific about a gift (like a vacuum cleaner), then use creative license. Make a joke about how it will make your much-hated cleaning tasks that much easier.

   If you are thanking someone for a kind act, then be as specific as you can. "Thanks for the delicious food you were so kind to bring over. We especially loved the french green beans." If being specific is going to be difficult, then saying "Thank you for all of your support in this tough time" or "Thanks for always being there for me" can work well in a variety of situations.

2. 

   *Finish thank you envelopes and brainstorm ideas for messages

   If you are dreading the thought of thank you notes and are putting them off because of it, do the envelopes first. Get them ready to go. That will be one thing you've finished.

   Then look at the list of gifts. Next to each one, brainstorm an idea for why you appreciate the gift. Does it make your life easier in some way? Does it help you with a task? Will it look especially beautiful in your dining room or living room? Will it be a cherished item for years to come? These are some words and phrases you can include in your thank you messages.

   After you've finished your list, the difficult part is done. Writing the notes should be a lot easier. If you must, set a goal for each day until you get them done. Start with 10 the first day and then allow yourself to write one fewer each day. (The next day you'll write 9 and so forth.) Breaking up the task can make it seem less daunting.

3. 

   *Make a Thank You Message Template

   If you are having trouble writing a lot of thank you messages, remember that you can use some of the same language on each note. Take a piece of paper and write a message on it. Use it as a template (or pattern) to write each note. Here's an example:

   Dear _________________________,

   Thanks so much for attending our wedding. It wouldn't have been the same without you. We also appreciate the ______________________. It _____________________________. Once again, thank you for the thoughtful gift and for sharing our special day!

   No one will know that you're filling in the blanks to write each note.

4. 

   *Choose Specific Thank You Messages from a list of ideas

   Because thank you notes can be really difficult for some people to complete, here are a few ideas to get you going:

   BATH LINENS, TOWELS: "We are so thrilled to finally have a matching set of towels! Now if only Mark would help wash them..."

   KITCHEN APPLIANCES: "We are so happy to finally move into the 21st century. It will be a relief to not have to chop vegetables any more!"

   MONEY, GIFT CARDS (avoid use of the word "money"...call it a "gift" instead) "Your gift means so much to us. We can finally put away a nest egg. It's a great relief." or "Your gift is much appreciated. It will be put to good use."

   HARDWARE, GARAGE: "Mark is so happy that someone remembered him at the wedding. He was happy to see a lawn edger instead of a cake plate!"

   SILVER, CRYSTAL, LUXURY ITEMS: "Your gift is lovely and will be treasured for years to come. Thanks for starting our own heirloom collection."

   FUN AND GAMES: "We can't wait to have you over for a round of Deluxe Scrabble! This gift will create lots of happy memories."

   DISHES, GLASSES, SERVEWARE: "We are thrilled to have a matched set of dishes. I hope we can have you over to try them out soon!"

   BAR ITEMS: "We were so excited to receive your gift. Now we have an excuse to throw a party. Hooray!"

   ELECTRONIC GADGETS: "We were so happy to receive your generous gift. We're thrilled to finally move into the 21st century!"

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that finding one specific comment can make a note personal and gracious. Recipients will be thrilled that you took the time to write something special.