How to Write a Thank You Note or Thank You Letter

Writing a thank you note is more than just an expression of gratitude; it is a sign of good manners and makes the recipient feel acknowledged. Thank you notes should be written after receiving cards, gifts or money for your birthday, wedding, anniversary, baby shower, Christmas, or other celebrations. After a job interview, send the interviewers a note thanking them for their time and the opportunity. As a visitor, or house-guest, or the recipient of exceptional customer service or any act of kindness that someone has shown you, you should write a thank you note.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Stationery:
• Pen
• Paper and envelope, or a thank you card
• Postage stamps (if required)

1. Be prompt when writing and sending your thank you note. It’s easier to take the time and write a thank you note rather than feel awkward and embarrassed when you bump into the person or hear from them first and you still haven’t thanked them!

2. Always try and write a hand-written note, in cursive. If you can’t remember how to write in cursive, then write in block letters. However, if the only way that you’ll be able to send out thank you notes is to type them on the computer and print them out (say to 200+ guests from your wedding), then it’s better to do that rather than to not say thank you at all. If you do print your thank you notes, make sure that you’ve addressed each person individually rather than sending out a generic “Thank you for attending our wedding and for the gift.” Keep in mind that each person took the time to personally select the particular card and gift for you. If possible, print your wedding thank you notes on the same stationery you used for your invitations.
   
   You may also consider a printed note if your handwriting is an untidy scrawl and completely illegible.

3. 
    
   A formal letter

   Start off your thank you note by dating it (normally on the top right-hand corner). If it’s a formal note, you might want to list your address as well as the date. Include a greeting such as “Dear Joe,” and a short introduction that sets the scene for your note. For a wedding thank you note, you might say something like, “We really enjoyed seeing you at our wedding, thank you for joining us in celebrating our marriage.”
   
   For a formal letter, you can include the person’s name and address on the left-hand side. You can also include a header indicating the subject of the letter: on a separate line after below their address, write “RE: Generous contribution towards advancing our cause.” You can use caps, underline or bold this for greater impact. On the following line, continue with the greeting “Dear Mr. Shaw,”

4. Be specific about the particular gift you received. For example, “Thank you for the Crock Pot – we can’t wait to try out our favorite winter recipes!” If you have received money as a gift, mention what you plan to do with it. For example, “Thank you for your generous gift. We plan to spend it on a new dining room table.” When thanking someone for money, rather refer to it as a gift, and don’t state the amount that you received.
   
   You may consider enclosing a photograph showing your new gift, such as the display of an ornament or vase in your home, or specific purchases you have made using money you received.

5. End off with a closing line such as “Thanks again for your generosity, we’re looking forward to seeing you at Christmas. Love, Sarah and Paul.” You will need to tailor your note for the particular person you’re thanking. For example, it would be inappropriate to sign off with “Love…” on a note for your boss, a business colleague, a recent acquaintance or someone you don’t know very well.

Tips & Warnings

• The writing of a sincere thank you note is a great skill to teach children, and can get them into the habit of saying thank you. Who knows – maybe you’ll receive a note from them thanking you for being a great parent!
• Don’t limit yourself to formal thank you notes. Show your appreciation to loved ones, friends and co-workers. Consider a quick Thanks! on a Post-it note and leave it on the fridge for your husband or wife, in your child’s lunch box, or on your boss’, secretary’s or co-worker’s desk.
• As an absolute, absolute last resort for thanking someone (say someone you met while overseas on a business trip) for whom the only contact detail you have is an email address, then send them a thank you by email following a similar format for the hand-written note.