What to Write in Your Creative Thank You Card

Everyone likes to be appreciated, especially at work. An Officevibe study revealed that 4 in 5 employees would rather receive praise over a gift or cold cash. Why? Gratitude makes people happy and strengthens relationships.

A “thank you” card is the perfect way of making someone’s day and to let them know they matter to your team, family, hobby or friendship group.

So, why not combine the power of both these feel-good tools? A “thank you” card is a great way to show appreciation, spread kindness, and delight others. Another benefit of these cards is that they can be used in many situations.

Whether you want to show appreciation for a teacher, manager/team leader, friend or family member for attending a wedding, or any other reason, Thankbox has compiled a list of ideas on how to write a creative thank you card.

Let’s dive in!

Key themes to consider in a thank you card

Before deciding what to write in a creative thank you card, take into account common situations where you might use them.

Use this information to plan your content. For example, your thank you card might feature:

Why you and the group are thankful
Information about why you appreciate the recipient
A thoughtful message from you and all those signing the card

Go ahead - make their day.

Who doesn't like to be appreciated? Get going in seconds with your 'thank you' Thankbox. Let everyone show their apprection and gratutide. Hit Send and know all that love and good vibes will be appreciated forever.

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Writing a thank you card in response to a gift

Sending a thank you card after receiving a gift is considered good etiquette.

Here are some examples of what you might write in this scenario:

Your wedding gift was perfect. It’s absolutely beautiful.
Thanks for the gift card. It will certainly help with decorating the living room.
Just thought I’d say thanks for the bookshop gift card. You know me too well! I’ll be heading there this weekend to pick up some new purchases :D
Thank you very much for my birthday present.
We’re very touched by your generous anniversary gift. Thanks so much for thinking of us.
Thank you again for the painting. We’ve hung it on our living room wall, and it looks fab.
You’re a star!
We absolutely adore the baby shower gift you gave us. It’s so cute!

Ideas for crafting a thank you card in response to support

If a person has been particularly helpful, a group or team can show its appreciation with a thank you card.

For example, you might thank a team member for a great contribution to a project, the group may want to thank a contractor who went the extra mile, a counsellor for being supportive through a tough time, or a client who was an exceptional partner in business together.

Here’s what you might write in this scenario:

Thank you for everything you’ve taught me!
You have no idea how much your efforts mean to me. I’ll forever appreciate the support you offered me in my darkest moments. You’re a true friend.
Thank you for turning ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.
This world better watch out because I’ve been taught by the very best!
Thanks for everything! You’ve always been a great team supporter!
Thanks for your help. It’s rare to find someone as generous and thoughtful as you. It may be a cliché, but if only everyone was as kind as you, the world would be a better place.
The gift of your time means more to me than anything money can buy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Thanks for helping me decide what to do next. I’m incredibly grateful for the time and dedication you’ve put into supporting your students, including me.

Here’s a sample Thankbox teacher appreciation thank you card sent by a class:

An image of a Thankbox teacher birthday and appreciation sample card, showing personal messages and recollections of school events

What to write in a thank you card for a colleague or manager

Taking up a new job can be bitter-sweet, especially if an old colleague is leaving. On the one hand, you’re excited for them starting a new chapter and embracing new challenges, but you also have to say goodbye to a person you’ve grown close to. It may be the team want to say thanks to their boss for Boss's Day.

Here are some tips on writing thank you cards for a colleague or manager:

Thank you for your kindness and mentoring over the years. You’ve helped me grow and develop, and wherever the future takes me, I’ll always be grateful for your support.
Good luck and I can’t thank you enough for the opportunities. Your leadership, support, and empathy have meant the world to me.
We’ve had fantastic times together these past few years. I’ll miss our morning chats and the projects we worked on together. It will certainly be strange not to sit next to you on Monday, but we'll remain great friends for the rest of our lives. I look forward to meeting again soon for coffee. Oh, and do keep me in the loop as to whether that window ever gets fixed. But seriously, thanks for everything!

Here’s a sample Thankbox thank you card sent from colleagues:

An image of a sample Thankbox card showing appreciation to someone

Finding the best thank you card

There’s no shortage of stores selling thank you cards, and you’ll find plenty of examples online as well.

Yet, there are some who prefer handmade thank you cards and like to personalise them. Fortunately, you can customise a card online and have a physical copy delivered or better yet, create a personalised digital thank you card.

A digital thank you card takes gratitude up a notch - especially for a team or group wanting to say thank you. With a digital Thankbox thank you card, you can create group cards and have the option of every contributor including a photo, video, GIF, and even collect money for a gift.

Here are some advantages of using a digital card:

Ability to edit and design cards with ease
Can include media
Cost-effective
Interactive
More eco-friendly
Unlimited people can sign them -
Many people prefer a digital card as they are way less hassle. Also with a digital card, the recipient is more likely to have the card for life

Structuring creative thank you cards and additional tips

So far, we’ve looked at key points to consider for a thank you card and the types of messages to include.

But the structure is just as important.

Ideally, the structure of a thank you card should be as follows:

Address the individual as you know them. You may want to start with “Dear”, followed by their name
Include all thank you messages. Ensure that you show your gratitude clearly.
Be specific about what you are most thankful for. Provide details about why you are giving thanks.
Look towards the future. This might involve mentioning how excited you are to see them again or how you will always remember them.
If appropriate, add in a personal, light-hearted or even humorous remark (e.g., mention a funny time you experienced together). This is ideal in situations where you are thanking a colleague or a teacher. Otherwise, avoid humour if thanking a professional such as a contractor, manager, or acquaintance.
Restate your gratitude. Again, remind the recipient why you are thankful for them.
Sign off. This is usually done with ‘Best Regards’ or ‘Kind Regards’ followed by your first name. However, you can also use phrases such as love, warm regards, warmly, love and thanks, God bless, with love, gratefully, or lots of love depending on your relationship with the recipient.

Here are some extra tips to help you write a thank you card:

Get the timing right. Send your thank you card within a week of the event/moment. For example, this event could be a time you received a gift or when construction of a new conservatory was completed. Obviously, in some cases, you’ll need to get your card for a specific day
Don’t be too wordy or unnatural. Take inspiration from the messages we’ve shared, but ultimately, write from the heart. Keep our tips in mind, but see what comes naturally when you put pen to paper
Write a first draft. Write a draft first and come back to it later. With a digital Thankbox thank you card, contributors can edit with ease right up to when the card is scheduled to send
Consider the range of thank you card ideas. Give some thought before choosing messages for your situation

What else we offer at Thankbox

Whatever the occasion, a well-written thank you card with a creative touch can make a good impression, boost self-esteem and leave a positive lasting impact. .

You can use Thankbox online digital cards for many occasions. Here are a few examples of occasions you might consider thank you cards: