By now everyone should know that you’re supposed to say ‘thank you.’  And there is no nicer way to say it than with a well-written thank-you not.  Not an email, not a text message, an honest-to-goodness handwritten thank-you note is appropriate for almost any situation.  If you don’t already know how to write one, I’ve got a few tips for you.

The note itself

Keep a stash of thank-you notes handy.  If you have to go out and buy one each time you need one, you’re less likely to do it.  Having notes on-hand makes it easy to jot down a quick – but thoughtful – note of thanks.  You don’t need a full size sheet of paper but a smaller folded card works wonderfully.  You’ll be surprised at how far a note like this will go for your hostess or gift giver.

Social and personal thank-you note

Sending a note to your host or hostess or gift-giver should be done as soon as possible.  Get your note in the mail the next day if you can.  Your note doesn’t have to be poetry.  You just need a few sentences that are meaningful. Thank them for the gift or party, let them know how much you appreciate their thoughtfulness and suggest you get together again soon.  You really only need three or four sentences to get your point across and make a nice impression.  You don’t have to get too detailed or specific.  And you don’t have to go on about the many uses of the gift or the details of the party.  Keep it short and sweet and you’ll do the trick nicely.