thank you note

I have some sad news to deliver to you all today, so brace yourselves. The art of the thank you note is dying. No one knows when it started, no one knows how far this will go, but putting pen to paper and showing gratitude has become an increasingly rare phenomenon. And at the risk of sounding like an old geezer who misses the days of yesteryear, I am pleading with you to go back to the times when things were different. When people made some effort to show you they were thankful.

I’ll be the first to admit that I loathed having to write thank you notes for every person who attended my graduation open house. But my parents sat me down and made me do it. I can also confess that after our honeymoon it felt like wedding thank yous were irritatingly low on my list of priorities for newlywed life. But I did them anyway. So today I’m partnering with Basic Invite to demonstrate that thank you notes are not only essential for a decent society, they can be chic as well! Here are 4 times in life when I believe it is absolutely poor form NOT to send a physical note of appreciation.

1. Graduations

Graduation thank you cards may be the bane of teenagers’ existence everywhere, but it’s the first step in teaching them to be responsible adults as they venture out into the world. Most likely you’ve had friends and family bestow their best wishes on your child as they are about to cross the graduation stage, so take advantage of this opportunity to show them that kindness deserves a thank you. I personally love these gold handlettered options that can give you one more opportunity to show off those gorgeous graduation pics!

2. Weddings

Perhaps the most instensive “thank you” period of your life, after you’ve said “I do” you’ll have a bevy of guests anxiously awaiting the verdict on their thoughtful kitchen accessory gift. It’s understandable; Aunt Beatrice took off work, traveled to the wedding, got a hotel room, and picked out the perfect tea towels. The least you can do is send her a note of appreciation. Even your wedding shower thank you cards can perfectly coincide with your overall theme, and color schematic. Not to mention customization is incredibly easy on the Basic Invite website. I love this beautiful floral and navy combination with a cute way to use your new names together!

3. Baby Showers

Likewise, when folks take the time to find the perfect frame for your nursery, or a onesie that your little one can happily spit up on, show them you are thankful for their help as you enter this new chapter of parenthood with a simple note. Of course, it should be noted that this requires having someone at your shower to track the names of the guests with their corresponding gifts, but everyone knows which Type A cousin would be up for the task. Customize your baby shower thank yous with a gender theme or leave everyone guessing if it’s a surprise. It’s up to you, but I love this baby bottle option – CHEERS!

baby shower thank you cards

4. Professional Interactions

Business thank you cards are your biggest chance to make a lasting impression. Whether you’ve just wrapped up a job interview or you landed a new client, dropping a handwritten note in the mail will help you stand out. If you’re a business owner, make sure it’s on brand down to the tinest details and they’ll know who it’s from immediately. I even ordered custom return mailing address ink stamps on Etsy to add a personal touch to my notes. I can’t tell you the number of times taking five minutes to write a thank you card has launched me twenty steps ahead in my career. Pick a simple but attractive option like this arctic blue card and you’ll be the darling of the office.


If you want to go above and beyond, I have friends who have sent handwritten thank you cards after each of their children’s birthday parties. I may not have sat Cora down for this yet, but I have seen children’s thank you cards like this set on Amazon that encourage even the youngest little ones to jot down their own thoughts of gratitude. I think that’s a BRILLIANT idea, and I hope to have Cora doing the same as soon as she’s able to write a coherent sentence.

Even in today’s digital world, if you just can’t bring yourself to find your guests’ addresses or make it to the post office, Basic Invite makes it easy to still check this very necessary gesture off your to-do list. You can use their services to request information from your party list, choose from a bevy of envelope options, and even customize the color of your cards on an individual basis! I am super impressed with their design options, and their customer service is super helpful. The next time you have a need for a thank you card (which in my opinion is ALL THE TIME) think of Basic Invite!

XO,

A

P.S. I received compensation in exchange for this post. Don’t worry though, all opinions are my own.

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