Thank You Card Ideas: How to Say Thanks for Priceless Gifts

How often does gratitude go unsaid?

Think about it: We love and appreciate our family members, friends, coworkers, and other loved ones. We thank our lucky stars they’re in our lives every night when we go to sleep. We don’t know where we’d be without their support, advice, encouragement, and gifts (both of the tangible and priceless sort).

But when was the last time you took the time to write the words “I am so thankful for you, our relationship, and all you’ve ever done for me”? It might have been a while!

Writing a thank you card is a wonderful way to express gratitude to another person. And yes, drafting a thank you message might be triggered by another event (a gift, invitation, or visit), but it’s an opportunity to write those kind words that might otherwise go unsaid regardless.

Below, we’ve highlighted several thank you card ideas to express your gratitude. We’ll dive into what to write and which occasions call for a thank you note (although we’re certainly the practice-gratitude-daily kind of people).

Thank You Note Wording for a Generous Gift

Design: Holly Whitcomb

In some scenarios, sending a thank you note upon receiving a gift is customary (if not expected). For example, it’s traditional to send a thank you note after receiving a wedding gift, bat mitzvah gift, graduation gift, or bridal shower gift.

These thoughtful notes are always warmly received. That said, some of the most cherished notes are also the most unexpected.

Perhaps a friend bought you a souvenir on their vacation just because it “reminded them of you,” your grandma wrote you a check or wrapped a beautiful gift even though you’re well into adulthood, or your friends surprised you with a housewarming gift for your new apartment — these are all times when the gift giver might not expect a thank you note in return. So, why not make their day and surprise them with one?

Here are a few fun thank you card ideas to express your sincere gratitude after you receive a thoughtful gift:

• I can’t believe you guys bought me that air fryer for my new apartment — I’ve already used it five times! I can’t tell you how much I love it or how useful it is. I need to have you over for dinner sometime to use it.
• Thank you so much for the monogrammed bedding you gave us at our rehearsal dinner. It was such a thoughtful gift — one that we’ll cherish as we begin our new lives together. You always go the extra mile!
• Nana, thank you so much for the check you sent me at Christmas. I’ve been meaning to buy a new yoga mat to bring to yoga class, so I plan to treat myself to that. I promise to email you a picture of me and my gym friends after class. And I know you love handmade thank you cards, so I wanted to express my gratitude as soon as possible — you’re truly the best!
• Charles and Anna, thank you so much for booking us a dog sledding tour for our honeymoon. Neither of us has ever been, and it’s definitely on our bucket list for Norway. You two are such wonderful friends — we’re so happy you could share our special day with us.
• Jules, I can’t believe you thought to get me artisanal cooking classes for my birthday party! I honestly didn’t even remember telling you that I loved making Italian food until I opened your birthday card set! You’re one of my most thoughtful friends, and I’m so happy to have you in my life.
• Tom and Janet, thank you so much for the “O’Brian” coasters you got me from Ireland. Who knew you would stumble into a pub with my last name on it!? I already have them sitting out on our coffee table, and every time I open a cold one, I’ll be thinking of you!
• Clarence, you really are the best godfather we could have asked for. Our little one absolutely loves the starry sky mobile you sent for her crib — and we can’t thank you enough for helping us get a little more sleep!

Thank You Note for Wedding Guests

Design: Lucrecia Caporale

It’s standard wedding etiquette to send thank you cards to guests who sent you a gift or attended your big day. Typically, you want to send these out within three months after the wedding date, but what you say inside the greeting card template is far more important than when you get around to sending them.

Take a few moments to thank the guests individually for coming. If they gave you a gift, mention how much you like it or how you plan to use it. Wrap up with a quick statement expressing how much they mean to you — here are a few thank you card ideas to get you started: 

• Carla and Sarah, thanks a million for coming to our wedding. We feel so lucky that you spent the time and effort flying all the way across the country to join us. We’re especially grateful for your generous gift to our honeymoon fund — we can’t wait to use your contributions to buy a safari tour!
• Our dearest Johnny, we are eternally grateful for being able to spend our wedding day with you. From your craft cocktail tutorial to your wicked dance moves, we learned so much and had a blast. Also, thanks so much for the wedding gift. That etched glassware is so beautiful! We can’t wait to pour you a drink next time you’re in town.
• Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards, we wanted to write this card to express our gratitude for your presence at our nuptials. It was a magical moment that we’ll always think about fondly. Thank you kindly for the high-end cookware. It’s such a thoughtful wedding gift; we’ve used it every day since moving into our new home.

Thank You Card Ideas for a Business Thank You

Design: Stellax Creative

When it comes down to it, business is no more than a group of people working toward a common goal. Even though we’re more buttoned up amongst clients and coworkers than we are with friends and family, manners, thoughtfulness, and kind gestures go a long way.

If a vendor, client, or colleague goes above and beyond for you, helps you through a difficult time, or remembers when you experience a major life event, show your appreciation. Or maybe you bought an item from a business owner as a gift for a friend and they absolutely loved it. Send them a handwritten note or ecard, letting them know their kindness didn’t go unnoticed. 

Here are some great business thank you card ideas to express your gratitude:

• Angela, I can’t believe you got the entire marketing department to chip in for that crib for my baby shower! And just like the humble person you are, you didn’t even take credit for researching and shopping for such a beautiful gift for my new baby. You are truly the most humble, selfless person — I’m so happy we can be friends outside of work.
• Kevin, I just wanted to send a big thank you for handling my workload while I was out with the flu. My clients won’t stop gushing about all your hard work — it’s as though I wasn’t gone at all. I passed along your business card in case any new projects arise and they’d like to bring you on. I can’t tell you how thankful I am.
• Steph, thank you so much for the gift card to General Tso’s! I didn’t expect anyone to remember when I said it was my favorite restaurant in the city. A night of takeout and Netflix will be so, so appreciated once we turn in this project — you are an absolute pleasure to work with.
• Kayla, I wanted to send heartfelt thanks for sending me flowers when my mom passed. I know this thank you note is a long time coming, but that time was very difficult. I am so blessed to have thoughtful people like you in my personal and work life to get me through.
• Mr. Britella, thank you so much for hand-crafting the driftwood whale for my little niece. She loved opening it on her birthday and can’t stop showing it off to all her friends. It’s a beautiful memento from our trip abroad and something she’ll cherish for years to come. I’m happy to act as a referral for your small business and plan to purchase many more gifts from you in the future. Sending you warm wishes for a successful year.

Thank You Card Wording for Someone Who Showed You Hospitality

Design: Olivia Raufman Design

There’s no better fuel for the soul than an evening spent with friends — but for the host or hostess, throwing a party can leave them feeling drained.

Throwing a dinner party, cocktail hour, or summer BBQ takes a lot of planning and effort, which is why these gatherings can be so rare. Whoever opened their doors to friends and neighbors probably spent days shopping, cooking, prepping, and cleaning their home to get that HGTV-worthy presentation. And while that pinot noir you brought was certainly a nice gesture, a thoughtful thank you note will last longer than four glasses of wine.

Here are several thank you card messages to express gratitude to your host for their hospitality. Whether they opened their home for an afternoon, evening, or long weekend, they’ll appreciate a note once you’ve packed up your bags (or purse):

• Thank you so much for the invitation to your holiday party! Your homemade antipasto absolutely blew me away — I can’t stop thinking about it. You simply have to send me the recipe!
• Thank you so much for the party invitation to your backyard pool party. Even though we’ve only been neighbors for six months, it feels like we’ve been friends for years.
• Your hospitality this weekend blew me away. I felt so welcome in your home. Thank you for taking me to the art museum, showing me your favorite taco spot, and being a great friend overall. Can’t wait until we see each other again!
• Thank you so much for hosting a “Galentines” gathering for Valentine’s Day. When I moved to this city, I was so nervous about making new friends, and I’m so happy you were one of the first people I met. Thanks again for the fun night of chips, guac, wine, and gossip.
• Beth, thank you so much for allowing us to hold Jacob’s Christening luncheon in your backyard. With a new arrival in our family, it’s been so wonderful to have neighbors like you. It’s true what they say — it really does take a village to raise a child!

A Thank You Note Card Is Just Another Act of Kindness

With the hustle and bustle of life, sometimes we forget to slow down and show our appreciation. A thank you note is a delightful way to acknowledge how much a friendship, gesture, or gift meant to you.

Writing a sincere thank you note allows us to acknowledge how much our loved ones mean to us. Hopefully, this list of thank you note ideas gave you a starting point for finding the right words to express your gratitude.

At Greenvelope, we love writing (and receiving!) thank you notes, which is why we include matching thank yous with many of our graduation announcements, wedding invitations, birth announcements, and baby shower invitations. Our thank you card designs are customizable so you can use them to express gratitude in multiple ways. Plus they come in all styles, from vintage watercolor templates to modern metallic designs for every personality.

Plus, with Greenvelope’s digital invitations, there are no address labels to print or stamps to stick. Invitations and thank you notes are sent directly to the recipient’s inbox, so it’s easy to thank friends and family members and hopefully make their days brighter.