Thank you note 101

We’re here to help you turn your note-writing skills from rusty and reluctant to expert and earnest.
New babies often elicit kind gestures from friends, family and co-workers, whether in the form of a be-ribboned teddy bear, a home-cooked meal during your first days home from the hospital or a free night of babysitting while you and hubby enjoy a much-deserved date night. Whatever the form, these generosities serve to celebrate your new baby and allow you to feel supported and loved as you transition into a new phase of your life. And anyone who makes you feel that way deserves to be thanked.
While they may seem old-fashioned, handwritten thank-you notes are the most gracious and appropriate means of thanking someone for a gift. Sure, an email or phone call is quicker and easier, but a thank-you note expresses an extra special sentiment of your sincere gratitude—and it doesn’t take that much longer to write!
If writing thank-you notes is not your forte, use these fool-proof steps to write a note that will impress even your persnickety Aunt Thelma:

• Always greet the person you are thanking.
• To begin the first paragraph, thank the person for their gift or gesture.
• Add one or two descriptive sentences about how the gift or gesture will play or has played a role in your life.
• In a new paragraph, mention to the person how much you enjoyed seeing him or her or how you look forward to seeing them again soon.
• In a final paragraph, thank the person one last time.
• Close with warm wishes.
• Sign your name and/or your baby’s.

[tip:] For a sweet and creative touch, try writing a thank-you note from the perspective of your little one. For example, “Dear Grandma, thank you for coming to play with me last week while Mommy and Daddy went on a date. My mommy was right, I am so lucky to have such a fun and nice grandmother…”