Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift

It is polite and appropriate to send a thank you note after receiving any type of gift, particularly if the gift giver was not present when you opened the gift. People sometimes put off writing Christmas thank you notes for the same reason they never get around to writing any type of thank you card or letter; they think it must follow some iron-clad process requiring very specific verbiage in order to be correct. The fact is that just about anyone can put together a thank you note for a Christmas gift that is simple, sincere, and likely to be appreciated by the recipient

Sample Thank You Notes
Doc:Thank You Note to Coworker for Gift

Beginning the Thank-You Note Process

 * 1) Keep a list of gifts. When you receive presents for any event, be sure that you or someone else keeps track of what gifts are received and who sent each one.  This will make it much easier to sit down and write thank you notes.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 1 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Do not procrastinate. While receiving a note in the mail at any time can be well-received, it is best to send thank you notes between one day and two weeks after opening a gift. If you wait longer than that, the person may think that you were rude for not sending a note.  However, you may also want to follow the old adage of, “better late than never.”[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 2 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Address the recipient. Most notes and letters begin with the word “Dear” followed by the person’s name and a comma; for example: “Dear Julian,”[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 3 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 4) *You may also want to use a nickname or a relationship name, such as “Dear Mom” or “Dear Junior.”

Writing the Note’s Content

 * 1) State the purpose for writing. Tell the person that you are writing in order to thank them for the gift that they gave you for Christmas. You will likely start out your note by saying “thank you,” but you could also get more creative and relate the “scene” for someone who was not there.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 4 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *An example of a standard opening might be, “I am writing to thank you for the gift you sent for Christmas.”
 * 3) *A less traditional approach may be “Christmas morning, the whole family crept downstairs. The house was nearly silent until the children started squealing with glee as they saw that there, waiting for everyone, were shiny new bicycles for the entire family!”
 * 4) Name the gift item specifically. Be sure to explicitly state what gift the person gave you.  This will communicate to them that you are aware of their specific contribution.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 5.jpg|center]]
 * 5) *If you lost track of the gifts and are not sure, it’s better to be vague and say “thank you for your kind gift” than to state the incorrect item.
 * 6) *If you received a gift of money, you may want to say something like “thank you so much for your generosity.”
 * 7) Explain how you felt when opening the gift. Use specific, descriptive language when relating how you felt when you received the gift on Christmas morning.  This will make your note come to life for the reader.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 6.jpg|center]]
 * 8) *For example, you might say, “I was still feeling sleepy and frustrated because our coffee pot broke again. Then I opened your gift, and saw a shiny, new programmable coffee pot, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest."
 * 9) *Another example would be, “the children were so excited to open their matching PJs. I had them open the boxes at the same time, and I was so proud to see them hold them up and talk to each other about the excitement of wearing them to bed that very night.”
 * 10) Mention how the gift has been or will be used. Make the gift giver feel successful by explaining how useful or nice their gift has been. [[Image:1432800 7.jpg|center]]
 * 11) *For example, tell her that your new coffee pot makes the best coffee you’ve ever had and that the programmable feature makes you feel pampered.
 * 12) *For an item that you haven’t used yet, such as an article of clothing, explain when you plan to use or wear it. For example, “I can’t wait to wear the sparkly black sweater out to the neighborhood New Year’s Eve party.”
 * 13) *For an extra special touch, consider including a photo of the gift in use.
 * 14) Write about your Christmas experience. After focusing on the gift, it is nice to give an overview of how you spent the rest of the day on Christmas.  This is particularly good if you are sending a note to someone that you did not get to spend time with on Christmas.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 8.jpg|center]]
 * 15) *For example, you might say, “After opening presents, we made our traditional Christmas morning breakfast of cinnamon rolls and fresh-squeezed orange juice, then we went for a walk in the snow” or “We are exhausted from having 4 different Christmases in one day: we had our family morning at home, then went to my parents’ house, then went to my husband’s mom’s house, and then finally my husband’s father’s house. We need a break from Christmas break!”
 * 16) Ask about the gift giver’s Christmas. Even though a thank you note is a type of one-way correspondence, it is nice to inquire after (or at least comment on) the person’s Christmas.  Try to make this as personal as possible.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 9.jpg|center]]
 * 17) *For example, “How was your Christmas? Did you enjoy the Christmas cruise as much as you thought you would?”
 * 18) *Another example would be, “I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas, filled with love and laughter.”
 * 19) Make plans for future contact. If you plan to visit the person who sent the gift, or if she plans to visit you, mention that you are looking forward to the upcoming visit.  If it’s unlikely that you will see the person soon, express a desire to talk on the phone or write letters in the future.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 10.jpg|center]]
 * 20) *For example, “I can’t wait to see you in February; it has been far too long!” or “I hope to hear back from you soon; feel free to call or write any time!”

Finishing the Note

 * 1) Thank the giver again. This can be a simple “thank you again for the gift,” but this gesture will remind the reader of your note why you wrote to them in the first place.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 11.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *This step may be skipped if your closing (in the next step) is “with gratitude” or “thanks again.”
 * 3) End the note appropriately. Your relationship with the gift giver will help determine the appropriate closing before your signature.  Close friends or relatives may be signed “Love, [your name].  Other options are: “best wishes,” “sincerely,” “warmly,” “best,” “thanks again,” or “with gratitude.”[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 12.jpg|center]]
 * 4) Sign your name. This may not be your full legal name.  If you are writing a letter to your child, you might sign it with “Mom,” for example.  If the person generally calls you by just your first name or a nickname, it is appropriate to sign that name.  You may wish to sign your full name, however, when writing letters to acquaintances or co-workers.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 13.jpg|center]]
 * 5) Mail the note promptly. Place the note in an envelope, write the recipient’s address on the outside of the envelope (be sure the address is current), put the appropriate postage on the envelope, and put the note in the mail.[[Image:Write a Thank You Note for a Christmas Gift Step 14.jpg|center]]

Tips

 * Increasingly, thank you notes are sent in the form of emails. While some people frown on this approach, it is important to remember the act of thanking someone is what matters, not the medium used. If your acquaintances tend to use email for all their personal correspondence, then a thank you email for a Christmas gift will be appropriate.
 * Christmas thank you notes do not have to be written on formal thank you cards. A plain piece of stationery or even a simple piece of notebook paper will suffice. Don't put off writing thank you notes because you don't have a fancy cardstock around the house.
 * You may want to send your thank you note on a Christmas-themed thank you card, or even a blank Christmas card.

Sources and Citations
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