Cards connect us.
I have a folder of cards given to me from friends, family, coworkers, even strangers, from over the years and I love rediscovering that folder when I clean out my filing cabinet every so often. The most special cards are the ones written and signed by loved ones that have passed. Just seeing their handwriting again brings back so much of who they are.
There is something magical about finding a card addressed to you in your mailbox. About looking at the writing, the stamp, and any extra doodles left on the envelope as you open it up in anticipation for what’s inside. Then there is the card itself–A beautiful painting, a witty joke, a photograph of your favorite animal. Anything could be on that card, and often its something that connect you with the giver of that card. A small sign that they know you and see you.
As the Christmas season ends, the time for thank you notes has come.
If you’re anything like me, you grew up in a home where thank you notes were mandatory. And as an adult, I’m thankful for this. We learned the art of gratitude and for taking the time to let a person know that the time, energy, and resources that went into the gift they gave was appreciated. You acknowledge them. You let them know they’re seen.
Gift giving has always been an intentional act for me. One that I put so much time, worry, and energy into. I don’t buy off people’s lists because I love surprising you with something you wouldn’t buy yourself or something you didn’t even know existed. I also love taking the time to think about what I know about that person and finding something that matches who they are. In the end, gift giving can be very stressful to me. So receiving a card saying how much they love and appreciate what was given, always lights me up.
Here is the trick to writing thank you cards that don’t sound like a third grade writing assignment. Start with a line about how much you care for the person, what seeing them (or not seeing them) this season was like, or a shared memory you have of them that brings joy to your face–bonus points if it can relate to the gift given. Then you thank them for the gift. Tell them what you’ve done with it, how it’s touched you, what their thoughtfulness means to you. And end with a way to connect further–a phone call, a coffee date, a dinner party. Or end with a gratitude– “I’m grateful for….our friendship/ your continued support/ How this gift will be used.”
Cards of any kind don’t need to be long. They don’t have to be poetic or written in perfect script. But coming from the heart, written with intention, that’s what makes a card special. The standard “thank you for ______. I really love it. I hope you are well” doesn’t bring the connection and intentionality I know we’re all looking for.
So as you write your thank you notes to everyone who has given you a gift this season, think about what that person really means to you, and let them know. You never know how something as small as a card can affect someone, and it could just be the card they keep in a drawer, looking at year after year, appreciating how you made them feel.
