Write Better: Thank You Notes

I love thank you notes. A text message or e-mail is fine, but getting a letter in the mail telling you how awesome you are? Sign me up!

A thank you note is one of the best ways to express your thanks to a friend or family member in a special, unique way. If you've never written a thank you note before, now is the time!

Who do you want to thank today?

Maybe you want to thank a family member for sending you that awesome birthday gift or you want to express some gratitude to a friend 'just because.' Thinking about who you are sending your note to is the first step. Stop for a moment and scribble down a 'gratitude list' of people who deserve your thanks. Choose one, two or three people from the list. Choose them all! You can never tell someone 'thank you' enough.

Speak from the Heart

Don't just sign your name to a random card you pick up at the store - no one likes a generic thank you note. Why are you thanking this person? What do they mean to you? Write it down, and don't be afraid to be sappy, especially if it's for someone older. My Grandma loves getting thank you notes. The sappier the better!

Get in the Habit

I am so thankful that my Mom sat me down and made me write thank you notes after my birthdays and after Christmas. When I was younger it felt unbearable, having to sit there and meticulously write personalized thank you notes to all of these people. Now I love it. I still remind myself to send the little notes out. I love doing it, and my friends and family love receiving them. Get in the habit of writing thank you notes. Expressing gratitude is good for you and good for them. It's a win-win situation.

Need help?

Here is a template you can use to write a thank you note. Remember to fill in the blanks with some heartfelt, sappy, personalized words!

Dear [awesome person],

You are [awesome/great/amazing/the bee's knees/the cat's meow].

Thank you so much for [sending me that gift/doing that thing for me/being awesome]!

I absolutely love [that you helped me with that thing/that gift you sent me] because [it made my life so much easier/I love hot pink jewelry/it reminds me of you].

I am [so grateful/so blessed] to have you as a [friend/parent/grandparent/brother/sister].

I [love you/appreciate you] so much, and I [can't wait to see you again/can't wait for you to visit].

Thank you again! You are [awesome/the best/my favorite person in the world].

[Love, XOXO, Hugs and Kisses, All my love]

[Your Name Here]


See? Writing a thank you note doesn't have to be stressful. Have you ever written a thank you note? Have you received one? Let's chat in the comments below!