Since time immemorial, people have kept on struggling with the proper way of saying thank you. From prehistoric grunts to current day postings on Facebook, there are several ways of saying ‘Thanks’. Emails, phone calls, text messages, you can get the job done in any manner.
How to Write a Thoughtful Thank You Note
However, you still can’t deny the fact that a hand-written thank you note is always more special than a call or a text message.
When you put in the effort to scribble a thank you note, your friends and family members learn that you’ve gone out of your way to make them understand their worth. So, if you are still confused about how to write a thank you note, we are here to help you out.
Deciding the purpose of writing a Thank You note
Do you find yourself at a loss of words while you sit down with pen and paper to write something where you show gratitude for the generosity of someone? No, it is not always required that you use fancy wording while writing a thank you note that is worthy of praise.
The foremost thing that you should do is show the extent to which you appreciate the hospitality or the gift. Even though you didn’t like the gift or if you didn’t have a great time with the gift, you should still send a thank you note.
The person ultimately thought enough while choosing the gift for you. Hence, his efforts and feelings shouldn’t go unappreciated.
What are you thanking the person for?
While writing a thank you note, you will definitely need to use your own words and your own feelings but when you have a basic outline, this shouldn’t take too much time. Jotting down a thank you note to let others know how much you appreciate their gift, their thoughtfulness and their hospitality.
During the initial part of the note, you should be definite and expressive about why you are thanking the person. Be specific and don’t beat around the bush. If the thank you note is for a gift that you received at a birthday party or some other event that involved several other gifts from others, assign someone who can tell you who gave which gift.
If the gift or the service like mowing the lawn or volunteering or babysitting children, be clear and precise about that. Mention the service, the gift or act as if you’re thankful for the gift and show what the service means to you. Even when the person doesn’t expect a thank you note, if you put in your thoughtful words, this makes them feel important.
Gratitude has to be shown
You may think that the vitality of showing gratitude to the intended person is already given but there are some who may even overlook your feeling when you write a simple ‘thank you’.
Although the main purpose of the note is to say ‘thank you’, you should still emphasise on the thoughtfulness of the person. Here are the few phrases that you may use as the opening line of your thank you note.
- I am thankful for….
- Thank you for the..
- I am grateful for…
- I appreciate the…
Mention the act of kindness or the gift
No, don’t always go for the easy way out where you just mention ‘Thanks for the gift’ to the person. Though this is the official thank you message but there is dearth of personal touch and which makes the note not seem genuine. The second part of the first sentence or the opening line may be written as follows.
- I am extremely touched for your warm hospitality.
- Thank you very much for the lovely candlesticks.
- I am thankful and full of gratitude for your eagerness to listen to me whenever I talk.
- Thanks a lot and it was so kind of you to keep a watch on my children when I went in for my dental appointment.
- I appreciate the gift card to my favorite restaurant.
- Thank you very much for hosting my family during the holiday season.
- Thank you so much for the gift but above all, thank you for visiting my bar to help me celebrate such a vital event with ease.
Mention the reason for thanking the person
This has to do with what you plan to do with the gift and the ways in which it helped you. Here are few more examples to take into account.
- I and my husband will soon celebrate our second anniversary and we are looking forward to using the candle sticks to make the environment even more romantic.
- During my visit to your place, your hospitality made me feel like an extended part of your family.
- I was having tough time in making my decision and you assisted me in more than one ways. Thank you so much for being there for me whenever I needed you.
- That restaurant serves the best seafood in town and hence I am definitely looking forward to eating there.
Here are few things that you can write if you didn’t care about the gift or your visit to some place that was not as pleasant as what you hoped.
- As there is already a dip in the weather, the scarf was indeed a thoughtful gift.
- It was really sweet of you to give me the box of chocolates.
- You clearly put in lot of effort in arranging your home for me and I appreciate your hospitality.
The best possible time to send a thank you note is soon after you get the gift. In case you were busy and a week or two has already passed and you still didn’t thank the giver of the gift, don’t make that an excuse to no longer send that message. Whenever you get time, send the message as soon as possible.
Procrastinating or delaying is one of the biggest blunders that people make while sending a thank you note. Hence, follow the above mentioned tips to write the best thank you note to your friends and family members.