Having trouble thinking of exactly how to write a thank you letter? Well, first of all, congratulations for having such good manners! Secondly, just say how you feel. Maybe it is easier for you to start with an outline; remember who, what, when, where and how from grammar school?
• Who gave you the gift? (very important to personalize)
• What was the gift? (nice to mention in the letter again to make more personal)
• When was it given? (for which occasion)
• Where was the gift given? (was it a party?)
• How will you use the gift? (mention what the gift meant to you)
Dear Aunt Betty,
Thank you for the ear buds you gave me for my birthday. I will remember you every time I plug in to listen to my favorite tunes. It was wonderful seeing you at my party and look forward to seeing you again soon.
Love,
Your Niece Barbie
Also, keep in mind what not to do.
• Do not write a generic thank you letter and Xerox it for mass mailing.
• Do not go on and on, just get to the point and write a sincere thank you letter.
• Do not sound phony. If you don’t like the gift you can thank the giver for their thoughtfulness and generosity.
• Do not wait too long so send your thank you note
It’s so sad that kids today don’t even know how to write thank you cards, or letters anymore. Don’t they teach this dying art in school anymore? I guess with cell phones and email they have no reason to learn. What a shame.
It is so rare to get a thank you these days – and half the time it just comes in the form of a text message. I really appreciate it when I get a handwritten note.
I make my kids (ages 12 and 14) send thank you cards before they can enjoy the presents they receive. I figure if they aren’t learning this in school, it has to come from me. They will appreciate this at some point in their lives.
I feel it is a courtesy that the parent should teach the child. When my son was a little person, I would ask him to “SPEAK” over the phone and thank everyone and anyone who gave him a gift. He is now a father and teaches his children to personally thank for their gifts.
I think a hand written note is such a great personal touch. I agree that its so much better than receiving a text.
I love the idea of a thank you letter rather than just a simple thank you
I too like to mention the gift and how it will be used or was used as a part of my thank you note. This is a very nice personal touch and comes across as more genuine than a generic “Thank you.”