Thank You Notes

Thank you etiquette

After the ceremony; after the party; there is one last detail that the graduate needs to take care of… Sending thank you notes.  It’s customary for the graduate to thank all the people who gave them a graduation gift.   To make this task easier, order personalized thank you notes well in advance of graduation.  And consider ordering the graduation themed return address labels and envelope seals.   Carlson Craft has a good selection of Graduation Thank You cards, return address labels and seals.    Our online store also has a wide selection.    Or go to Snapfish.com to create unique and fun Thank You cards using your favorite graduation photo.

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Saying “thank you” is easy ...

Never written thank you notes before?  Don’t worry.  Just follow our simple guidelines.  If you’re still stuck, check out our sample letters for some great ideas.

• Every gift, whether received by mail or in person, should be acknowledged with a thank you note.
• Don't limit thank you notes to people who have sent gifts.  Now is the time to remember and thank special teachers, coaches, relatives and friends from high school or elementary school.
• Send thank you notes promptly.  Start right away and finish no later than one month after graduation.
• Always hand write thank you notes and hand address the envelopes.  E-mail is not appropriate.
• Mention the gift specifically in the note and express appreciation.
• When you receive money as a present, don’t mention the amount.  Do, however, mention how you plan to spend the money.
• Avoid making thank you notes look like form letters by adding a personal reference to each one.  See our sample letters.

Money as gifts

“Before the cards started arriving, we talked to our son about how he was going to spend the money he received as gifts. We agreed that he could have half of the money, but the other half went into his savings account. I taped the checks to a cupboard and he was allowed to deposit them when the thank you note was mailed. I’m glad we discussed it ahead of time.”

                                       

                                                                        Barb in Dallas, Texas

Sample Thank You Notes

A few guidelines to help make writing Thank You Notes a breeze

When writing thank you notes, always add at least one personal sentence to let the reader know you are thinking of them.  Here’s a few thank you templates to get you started as well as some suggestions for various people that you might send a note to.

Remember, the most important thing is to be personable and to be yourself.  Customize any of the following samples to better fit you.

Template for a gift:

Template for a gift of money:

Template for a gift from someone that did not come to your party:

More Ideas for Personalizing Thank You Notes

Add any of these where appropriate after thanking the recipient for the gift:

You have superb taste! And now I have a sample of it.

I enjoyed meeting you. My parents have talked about you for years.

Thank you for thinking of me.

Thank you for being there when I needed you!

Ideas for relatives:

I am very grateful for the support I have received from family over the years.

You’ve always been my favorite Aunt.

Thank you also for helping at the party.

Does this mean I don't have to sit at the kid's table anymore?

Call me for babysitting!

I hope we get to see you at the cabin this summer.

I look forward to seeing you at our next family get-together.

Ideas for graduates going to college:

I am really looking forward to (school name here). I'll be looking for a job in four years.

Please keep me in mind.

Ideas for out of town guests:

It was so cool that you made the trip for my big day. It really means a lot to me that you would travel so far.

If I ever have the chance, I'll visit you in (their city).

Ideas for friends' parents:

I've really enjoyed being friends with (student's name). She is a true friend.

You have helped me so much over the past few years and it was a pleasure spending time with your family.

I always felt welcome in your home.

I'll never forget the day we went to (someplace special). It was so nice of you to include me.

Ideas for neighbors:

I will miss living here in (city or neighborhood name).

You have been so helpful to our family and I will miss you.

I'll be sure to stop by when I come home to visit.

I'll never forget all the fun neighborhood get-togethers.

Ideas for teachers:

You have made a big difference in my life. Keep up the good work.

Having you as a teacher has made such a big difference in my years at (school name).

I'll try to keep up the good study habits.

You will always be my favorite teacher.

Ideas for coaches:

Thank you for being such a great coach.

I've really enjoyed playing (sport name here).

You're a great inspiration!

Ideas for people who did not attend party:

I'm sorry you were not able to join us for the party. I missed you. However, your support is greatly appreciated.

Ideas for coworkers:

It has been a lot of fun working together.