“Dearest __,” “Hi, __,” “My friend,” “To my favorite _____,”
“Thank you so much for the darling pair of leggings you gave to Leigh!” “You are such a dear for coming to my opening night. " “I am very grateful for your assistance with my senior project this semester. " “Without you, I wouldn’t be the student, or person, that I am today. "
“She has been begging me for a pair of leggings lately! They fit her just right, and she has a red dress that matches them perfectly. They’ll be put to good use this winter. " “You are such a dear for coming to my opening night. It made me happy to see your bright smile in the audience. Knowing you were there helped calm my stage fright. " “I am very grateful for your assistance with my senior project this semester. You have a lot of students depending on you, and I really appreciate your taking the time to give me so much individual attention. " “You did not have to take the time to mentor and meet with me – most people wouldn’t – but your passion and patience has left an impact on me that I will never wear out.
“It was fun to catch up with you at the party. How are things going with Bobby’s soccer team? He has natural talent, that boy. Leigh has been asking about him every day. We can’t wait to see you this Christmas. " “Will you be returning to New York again soon? Next time, I want to take you to dinner at my favorite spot. It’ll be nice to have a full-length conversation, rather than rushing to catch up backstage!” “I wish you the best with your research this summer, and look forward to seeing you at the NSTA conference in the fall. " “Best of luck with your new responsibilities and projects. I’m eagerly awaiting the chance to see what you do next, and to keep learning from you from afar. "
“Friends like you are the best part of this town, and I’m looking forward to the day we can sit down together and catch up. " “Your support throughout my career shows just how incredible of a friend you are. Your warmth, generosity, and kindness mean the world to me. " “You give the college a good name, and embody everything I love about my school. I hope I can one day pay it forward to students of my own. " “Anytime you want to talk, collaborate, or share a cup of coffee, you know where to find me. A conversation with you is something I could never turn down. "
To a loved one: Love, Much love, Hugs and Kisses, All my love, Yours, To a friend: Cheers, Thanks again, Warmly, See you soon, Many thanks, To a colleague: Sincerely, Gratefully yours, Respectfully yours, Best wishes
If you choose to handwrite it, use a pen with black or blue ink. Write in either print or cursive, as long as your writing is legible. If you choose to type it, use a font that’s easy to read, like Times New Roman or Arial. This is especially necessary if you’re writing a thank you letter to a professional colleague. [9] X Research source
If you go with stationery, it doesn’t have to be fancy. Look for heavier-weight paper made with cotton or another high-quality material. It’s fine to use stationery with a design or your initials. Packs of thank you cards are sold in stationery shops and drug stores. Consider getting more than one so you’ll have cards on hand for next time.
For example, if you’re sending a thank-you note to your boss, and the workplace setting is pretty formal, you might want to choose high-quality business stationery, type the letter and format it according to the standards for a professional business letter. If the note is for a friend, you can show a little more personality. Write your note on a funny postcard, or make your own cool stationery.
However, if you need to thank someone for giving you an actual gift or for dedicating a significant amount of time toward helping you, it’s better to send a real letter. People realize that it takes effort to write and mail a letter, and that extra time will be appreciated. If you send an email, it should be as well composed and thoughtful as a regular letter would be. In fact, you might want to take even more time making sure it’s well written, since you’re not going to the trouble of sending it by snail mail.
For example, if someone bought you a $100 wedding present, in addition to flying to your wedding and taking time off work to attend, they deserve a full-blown thank you letter on nice paper or a big thank you card. On the other hand, if you were the recipient of a $5 Secret Santa stocking stuffer, a short, quick note will do.
Of course, take the above rule regarding the length of the letter into account. If the recipient deserves a two-page letter, you’d better match the length to the size of the gift and fill up the entire card.
That said, it’s never too late to send a thank you note. Even if you send it months later, out of the blue, it’s better than never sending one at all. If you wait this long, though, make it a good, long letter!
