Thank You Notes

[yearbook50]

I stink at writing Thank You Notes. I feel that I come across too cheesy and it isn't sincere or I feel it is too short.

My fiance and I just had an engagement party 2 weeks ago and I have finally found the time to sit down and write them but I dont know how to start.

Like, someone gave us a really nice scrapbook. So far I have " Thank you for the scrapbook. Shaun and I are using this to cherish our memories starting since our engagement." Now I'm stuck...

And how to you thank someone that gives you cash? These are the things my mother never taught me...

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Tell them that the gift was thoughtful. Make sure you include how happy it made you to have them there, sharing a special time in your life.

I think there are some websites that can help you in this department!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

This website looks like it can help. Good Luck.
http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/how_to/how_to_write_a_thankyou_note.php

 

[merrily]

Thank you notes don't need to be long.
I'm always just glad that I actually received one. What you have sounds fine. Add something thanking them for their thoughtfulness. As for cash, I tell my kids to write what they are planning to use it on when they write thank you notes. Whether that is proper etiquette or not I have no idea but no one has complained!

 

[SDFgirl]

For cash, I said something like:

"Dear Aunt Mildred and Uncle Joe,

P and I are so grateful for the generous wedding gift you gave us. We are currently saving up for a new dishwasher (or down payment, or whatever), and your gift will certainly help us out! Thank you again for your generosity.

Sincerely,
SDFgirl"

I used this format a lot. I know it's semi-impersonal, but we had a TON to write. After awhile they all start to sound the same. And really, do people NEED or WANT to know that you're looking forward to grating cheese with the cheese grater they got you? Duh.

Congratulations on your engagement!

 

[ilovepcot]

I have 3 children, actually 1 daughter of my own and a step son and step daughter. This is how it goes when they send thank you notes.

Daughter: Notes sound as though a 19th century writer composed them. They gush on and on in a very formal manner. No one would find this sincere.

Step son: His notes could have been fired from a machine gun! Fast one liners that almost make you angry. Too brief, too impersonal. Needs to put more thought into it.

Step daughter: Her notes read exactly the way she speaks. When you read them, there's no doubt she's appreciative and you end up feeling so glad you went to the trouble to give her "whatever". You can't help but smile because her notes are *genuine* and you (giftgiver) never feel that thanking you was a *chore*.

So, my advice is to write your notes as though "speaking" to the giftgiver in person. Works!

 

[disneynutt1225]

I tend to write them as if I'm conversing with that person - particularly if I know them extremely well. For example, my Aunt gave me the Kitchen Aid stand mixer at my shower. I literally shrieked with glee because I was so excited to get it. My thank you card went a little like this:

Dear Aunt,

Thank you SO MUCH for the mixer. I was so excited to get it, in case you couldn't tell by the screams! I look forward to having you over for dessert in the near future since you also included those cookbooks with yummy looking foods inside.

And then I went into some mushy stuff that I'm sure no one wants to read here, LOL.

Basically, the closer I am to a person, the more personal the thank yous get. Then I have a standard for those who gave me money

Dear Such and Such,

Thank you so much for your generous gift. Matt and I are going to use it to put it towards our (insert things left from the registry to buy - stemware has been a big one). We look forward to seeing you at the wedding (or, if they're not coming, we're sorry you won't be able to make it to the wedding, we hope to see you soon!)

Love,

Chris and Matt

 

[gshanny]

OT, but I wonder if I am the only person who worries about my thank you notes. I have to make sure each one sounds different. I can't do the thanks for_____ we will use it for_____. I always worry some of the people would get together and discover they were all basically the exact same wording. I struggle to make each one sound different from all the rest.
The funny thing is, when I get one I am just so amazed that I got one I never worry about how they wrote it.

 

[TimeforMe]

I had to laugh when I read this thread as my DD just committed a major "thank you note" faux pas. We had a graduation party for her and when we came home that night and she opened her presents, I wrote down what each of them were so she could write the proper thank yous and personalize each one. Granted most of them were cash, but not all. Anyway, she sat down with the cards and lists and most of them were "Thanks so much for coming to my party and for the generous gift. It will surely be put to good use when I go off to college in the Fall....." blah, blah, blah. She wouldn't let me read them (or proofread them as she says) and off they went in the mail. Well we recently saw a good friend of ours at another party and she jokingly mentioned to DD that she was glad she considered her coffee mug generous and that it would be put to good use. (she had ordered another part to the gift that hadn't arrived yet).