What to write in a thank-you card: a formula and examples for every occasion

A good thank-you note has four parts: greet them by name, name the gift or kindness precisely, say how you will use it or what it meant, and close warmly. “Dear Priya, thank you so much for the blue casserole dish. It has already carried a lasagne to two family lunches. We can't wait to have you over to eat from it. Love, Tom.” That fits easily inside an A6 card.

The second and third parts do the work. “Thank you for the gift” could be sent to anyone; “the casserole dish” and “two family lunches” prove you noticed. For money, mention what it will go towards: “It is going straight into our new-sofa fund.”

Wedding gift: “Dear Ann and Raj, thank you for the beautiful picnic set. We used it on our first weekend away as a married couple. It meant so much to have you there on the day.” Wedding guest who travelled: “Thank you for coming all the way from Leeds. Seeing you on the dance floor is one of our favourite memories.” Aim to send wedding thank-yous within three months.

Baby shower: “Dear Megan, thank you for the stack of sleepsuits. They are already in heavy rotation, and so is the little elephant blanket.” For a group gift: “Thank you all for the pram. Our walks around the park are the highlight of the day.” A photo of the baby with the gift on the front of the card is the thank-you people keep.

Teacher: “Dear Ms Patel, thank you for a wonderful year. Ella came home talking about volcanoes every day and now reads to her little brother at night.” Keep it specific to something the child learnt or loved. A drawing or a class photo on the front makes it personal.

After a job interview, send a short note within 24 hours: “Thank you for taking the time to meet me today. I enjoyed hearing about the new studio and I am even more excited about the role.” For a colleague: “Thanks for covering my shifts last month. It made a hard week much easier.”

After a bereavement, thank-you notes can be brief and there is no deadline; most people send them within a few months. “Thank you for the flowers and your kind words about Dad. It meant a great deal to know he was remembered.” Or: “Thank you for being at the service. Your support helped more than you know.”

If many people helped, a short printed message plus a handwritten line or signature is entirely acceptable. A small memorial card with one photo on the front and a few words inside is a thoughtful way to thank everyone at once.

For weddings, showers and big birthdays you may need twenty or more cards. Design one card with a shared photo, print as many copies as you need, then handwrite the specific second and third parts in each. Foldpic's Thank You Kindly template has a full-bleed photo front and a message block inside sized for exactly this.

If a postcard is enough, four thank-you postcards print on one sheet with a message and address side, so they go without an envelope. Either way, print at 100% scale on 160–200 gsm card and let the ink dry before you write on it.