General Rules
- Personalize your thank-you card by making reference to the specific gift and how you plan to use it.
- If you receive money, it’s always a safe bet to write “thank you for your generous gift.”
- Show appreciation by sending the thank-you card close to the day you received the present. This way, the gift-givers also know you received it.
To Family and Friends
- Keep your signature informal – no courtesy titles or last names needed.
- Mention the past and allude to the future. Telling loved ones how special your relationship is and that you want to see more of each other in the future is a heartwarming gesture.
- If a card is from more than one person, the one who signs it should write his or her name last as a sign of courtesy.
To Co-workers
- For business associates, cards should be mailed to the office. If you are friends outside work, then it’s OK to send the card to their home.
- Exercise a measure of formality here. Messages should be brief and almost always secular.
- When sending a note to a married woman who uses her maiden name at work, address the card to “Mr. and Mrs. Jones.” If she prefers to use her maiden name for all occasions, address the card to “Mr. John Jones and Ms. Sarah Smith.”
Time Tips
- Save yourself the holiday hassle by mailing thank-you cards early – anytime after Thanksgiving and before New Year's Day is appropriate.
- Stay organized by keeping a record of who you have sent cards to, and who you still have to write one to.
- Always include your return address in case of a mailing mishap, and to help your friends keep their mailing lists up to date.
Note this: When you’re ready to sign, seal and deliver, insert the folded side of the card into the envelope with the design face up toward the flap.
