How To Write a Thank You Note For a Gift

Writing a thank you note for a gift you received may seem outdated and old fashioned, but it is still something that should be practiced and taught to our children.

When you are given a gift in person, telling the gift-giver thank you in person is a good start. However, it is still best to send a thank you note just to let them now how much you appreciate your new gift and how you're using it.

How many times have you mailed someone a present and you never heard a word from them? You start to wonder, did it get lost in the mail? Did they even get it? Do they even appreciate that I spent time and money to buy them their gift? These are just a few reasons why you should write a thank you note for any gift that you receive.

Thank you notes should be written when you receive gifts for Christmas, birthdays, wedding and baby showers, and any other occasions when you have been given a gift. Thank you notes should especially be sent for any graduation presents you may receive, even if the gift was money.

Writing thank you notes should not be limited to gifts. Write a thank you note when someone has gone out of their way to help you. They will appreciate acknowledgement from you. Don't you like to be recognized when you do something for someone?

Children should be taught to write thank you notes as soon as they are able to write. No one likes an ungrateful child. If you use the model that I am sharing with you, your child will be writing their first thank you note in no time.

If you've never written a thank you note before, it can be difficult to know where to begin. However, if you follow a few simple steps, you'll discover how fast and easy writing thank you notes can be.

Try to send your thank you note out within three days of receiving your gift. You can use pretty stationery or blank note cards. Typing your thank you note on the computer is acceptable. If all else fails, writing your thank you note on notebook paper is just fine, too. Just get the thanks out!

1. Begin by thanking the person who gave you the gift. Tell them how much you appreciate them thinking of you and giving you a gift.
2. Next, tell them how you're using your gift. If you were given money, tell them what you bought with it and how you're enjoying it. If you were given a gift that you don't particularly like or use, you might have to get creative.
3. In closing your note, thank them again for your gift. This is also a good place to add in any comments about getting together and having lunch or offering to do something for them.

It is also appropriate to send thank you notes to people who have gone out of their way to do something nice for you. An example might be that maybe you have been hospitalized and a neighbor watched your pet. Writing a thank you note is a great way to say thank you. You could even attach a small gift to the note if you wanted to, but it's not necessary.

The guidelines to writing a thank you note for something someone has done for you is not very different from above:

1. Begin by thanking the person for helping you out in your time of need.
2. Tell them how much what they did helped you.
3. Close by thanking them again and offering to do something in return.

Once you get the hang of writing thank you notes using these instructions, you can write a thank you note for almost everything.

So what does a good thank you note look like?

Let's pretend I received a Nespesso machine for Christmas. This would be an example of a thank you note for my Nespresso:

Dear Aunt Mabel,

Thank you so much for my Nespresso machine! It was very thoughtful of you to give me such a great gift. I'm glad you remembered how much I love Espresso.

I use it every morning when I get up. I am very particular with it. I won't even let my husband touch it! It's going to be my companion every morning when I'm getting ready for work I'm sure.

Let me know next time you're in town, we can all go to lunch. My treat! Again, thanks so much for my Nespresso. Love you lots!

Thank you,

Abbyfitz

See, wasn't that easy! Thank you notes don't have to be long letters. Just a quick note to let them know how thankful you are is enough.

Writing thank you notes is a good habit to get into. We should always show thanks to anyone who gives us a gift or does something kind for us.

When things are tough or if everything is going our way, we should be thankful for what we have and who are in our lives. Writing thank you notes is a way for us to show that gratitude.

Once you know the basics, writing a good thank you note is simple. Encourage your children to write thank you notes as well. The sample I've provided is an easy enough model for even children to use.

The art of writing thank you notes is not an old fashioned, outdated idea. Our world needs more kindness in it. Pass it on by thanking those who thought of you. If we all practiced this concept, the world would be a much nicer, friendlier place.