Thank You Messages for Gifts: What to Write (100+ Examples)

The best thank-you message for a gift names the person, names the gift, and says one true thing about it. "Thank you for the gift" is polite. "Thank you for the blue serving bowl; it held the salad at our first dinner party" is a note someone keeps.

What to write in a thank-you card, in short: open with the giver's name, thank them for the specific gift, say how you'll use it or what it meant to you, mention the relationship if it fits, and close warmly. Two to four sentences is plenty for most gifts, and a little more for the people closest to you. The 100+ messages below are sorted by the kind of gift and by who gave it, so you can pick the tone that fits and make it yours.

Contents

• What do you write in a thank-you card for a gift?
• Short thank-you messages for a gift
• How do you say thank you for a gift of money?
• Thank-you messages for a gift card
• Thank-you messages for a registry gift
• Thank-you messages for a gift that wasn't on the registry
• Thank-you messages for a handmade gift
• Thank-you messages for a group gift
• Thank-you messages for an experience
• Thank-you messages for a gift sent from far away
• How do you say thank you for an unexpected gift?
• How do you say thank you for a gift you don't love?
• Thank-you messages by who gave the gift
• Longer thank-you notes for a gift
• Thank-you messages for a wedding, baby shower, graduation or Christmas gift
• What not to write in a thank-you message
• How do you send thank-you messages for a whole list of gifts?

What do you write in a thank-you card for a gift?

Use five parts: a greeting with their name, the gift named plainly, a sentence on how you'll use it or why it mattered, a line about the relationship, and a warm sign-off. The gift and the "how you'll use it" line do most of the work. Those two change the most between a grandmother's quilt and a coworker's coffee card.

The shape, with one example of each part:

How long to write depends on the gift and how close you are:

Short thank-you messages for a gift

When the card is small or the list is long, one line is enough. Put their name above it, name the gift if you can, and sign it.

How do you say thank you for a gift of money?

Thank them for their generosity and say what the money is going toward. Leave out the amount, since naming a figure makes the note about the number. "Your generous gift is going toward our first apartment" thanks the giver and shows them what they made possible. The same rule works for a check, a Venmo payment or a contribution to a fund. For messages by occasion, from wedding cash and honeymoon funds to graduation and birthday money, see thank-you notes for money.

1. Thank you for your generous gift. It paid for the bookshelves in our living room, and they're already full.
2. Thank you so much for the check. We've put it toward our trip to the coast next spring, and we'll send you a postcard from the beach.
3. Your gift was so generous. We're saving it for our first home, and it moved us a real step closer. Thank you.
4. Thank you for the birthday money, Grandma. I bought the art supplies I've wanted all year, and my first drawing is for you.
5. Thank you for adding to our honeymoon fund. You bought us a very good dinner in Lisbon, and we toasted you.
6. Thank you for the cash gift. We used it for the crib, so you'll be part of every nap.
7. Your generosity took our breath away. Thank you for helping us start this next chapter.

Thank-you messages for a gift card

Name the store or restaurant, then say what you bought or plan to buy. A gift card can feel impersonal to the giver, so telling them what it became turns it into a real present.

8. Thank you for the bookstore gift card. I spent a very happy hour choosing, and I came home with three novels and a cookbook.
9. Thank you for the coffee shop card. My morning latte is on you for the next month, and it tastes better for it.
10. Thank you for the gift card! I used it for the running shoes I kept putting off, and I've already been out twice.
11. Thank you for dinner out. We saved the gift card for our anniversary and had a wonderful night.
12. Thank you for the gift card to the garden center. The tomatoes and basil are in, and you're invited to the first harvest.
13. Thank you so much for the gift card. I'm saving it for something special, and I'll tell you what I choose.

Thank-you messages for a registry gift

A registry gift is something you picked, so the giver already knows you wanted it. Thank them for choosing it and say how it fits your life now. For more wording by occasion, see what to write in a wedding thank-you note and baby shower thank-you wording.

14. Thank you for the Dutch oven from our registry. Soup season started the day it arrived, and our kitchen smells better for it.
15. Thank you so much for the towel set. Our bathroom finally looks like grown-ups live here.
16. Thank you for the stroller. We took it on our first walk around the block this week, and the baby slept the whole way.
17. Thank you for the knife block. It's the first thing anyone notices in our kitchen, and cooking dinner has become a lot more fun.
18. Thank you for picking the dinnerware from our list. We can't wait to have you over and serve you on it.
19. Thank you for the bedding. It's the most comfortable thing we own, and we're grateful every night.

Thank-you messages for a gift that wasn't on the registry

When someone goes off the list, they chose something they thought you'd love. Thank them for the thought behind it, not just the item.

20. Thank you for the framed map of the town where we met. It wasn't on our list, and it's our favorite gift.
21. Thank you for the cookbook and the note inside it. It was such a personal choice, and the lemon cake is already a household favorite.
22. Thank you for the picnic basket. We didn't know we needed one until it arrived, and now we can't picture summer without it.
23. Thank you for going off the registry with the photo album. We've already filled the first ten pages.
24. Thank you for the plant. It was such a thoughtful surprise, and it's doing better than any plant we've ever owned.

Thank-you messages for a handmade gift

A handmade gift took hours of someone's time. Thank them for the time and the skill, and say where the gift lives now.

25. Thank you for the quilt. I can see how many hours went into every square, and it's on our bed where we see it every day.
26. Thank you for the scarf you knitted. It's the warmest thing I own, and I wear it every day it's cold enough to justify it.
27. Thank you for the painting. It hangs in the hallway, and every guest asks who made it.
28. Thank you for the jam! I've been rationing it to one spoonful a morning so it lasts.
29. Thank you for the blanket you crocheted for the baby. It's already the one we reach for at bedtime.
30. Thank you for the wooden bowl. It's beautiful, and knowing you made it by hand makes it even better.

Thank-you messages for a group gift

Thank the whole group by name if you can, and name the gift so each person knows what they were part of. When a few people split a bigger present, a separate note to each of them is warmer than one shared card; for an office or a big group, one card to everyone is fine.

31. Thank you all for the espresso machine. The whole office chipping in made it feel even more special.
32. Thank you to the book club for the gift basket. You made my birthday, and I'm bringing the chocolates to our next meeting.
33. Thank you, everyone, for the new bike. I rode it to work on Monday, and I felt the love the whole way.
34. Thank you for going in together on the high chair. The baby has already thrown three dinners off it.
35. Thank you all for the spa day. It was the kindest send-off, and I'll miss every one of you.

Thank-you messages for an experience

For concert tickets, a class or a trip, thank them for the gift and then tell them about the day itself. The story is the thank-you.

36. Thank you for the concert tickets. We sang every word, and I lost my voice by the encore.
37. Thank you for the cooking class. I learned to make fresh pasta, and you're getting the first batch.
38. Thank you for the weekend away. We slept late, walked the beach and came home rested for the first time in months.
39. Thank you for the museum membership. We've been twice already, and the kids are asking when we're going back.
40. Thank you for the pottery class. My first mug is lopsided, and I'm giving it to you anyway.

Thank-you messages for a gift sent from far away

When someone mails a gift from across the country or the world, thank them for going to the trouble, and say how much you miss them.

41. Thank you for the package. It made the distance feel much shorter, and I opened it as if you were on the phone with me.
42. Thank you for sending the sweater all the way from Scotland. It still smells a little like your house, and I love it.
43. Thank you for thinking of us from so far away. The gift arrived on the perfect day, and we wished you were here to open it with us.
44. Thank you for the box of treats from home. It was the best kind of homesick.
45. Thank you for the gift, and for the note that came with it. We miss you and can't wait until you visit.

How do you say thank you for an unexpected gift?

Say that it surprised you, say how it made you feel, and name the gift. An unexpected gift is really a thank-you for being thought of, so say that too. You don't have to send one back; a warm note is the right answer.

46. What a lovely surprise. Thank you for the flowers. They brightened the whole week.
47. I didn't expect anything, which made the book even more special. Thank you for thinking of me.
48. Thank you for the surprise in my mailbox. It came on a hard week and turned it around.
49. You didn't have to, and I'm so glad you did. Thank you for the candle; the whole house smells like fall.
50. Thank you for the just-because gift. It means so much to know you were thinking of me.
51. I'm still smiling about the package on my doorstep. Thank you for the tea and the kind note.

How do you say thank you for a gift you don't love?

Thank them for the thought, the effort or the kindness, and say something true. You don't have to praise the item or pretend it's your favorite. Never mention returning or exchanging it, and don't invent a use you won't follow through on. The giver mostly wants to know it arrived and that you noticed the care behind it.

52. Thank you so much for thinking of me on my birthday. It means a lot that you took the time to pick something out.
53. Thank you for the gift and for your kindness. I'm lucky to have people in my life who think of me like this.
54. Thank you for the sweater. You always remember that I'm cold, and that made me smile.
55. Thank you for such a thoughtful gesture. Your note was my favorite part.
56. Thank you for the gift. It was so generous of you, and I really appreciate you thinking of us.
57. Thank you for coming to the party and for your gift. Having you there was the best part of the day.

Thank-you messages by who gave the gift

The same gift reads differently from a grandparent and from a boss. Match the warmth to the relationship.

From grandparents

58. Thank you for the gift, Grandpa. You always know what I'll love, and I always love hearing from you.
59. Thank you for the birthday card and the gift inside it, Grandma. I'm saving part of it, just like you taught me.
60. Thank you for the books. I've finished the first one already, and I want to tell you about the ending.
61. Thank you for the savings bond. I promise to be sensible with it, eventually.
62. Thank you for the necklace, Nana. I'll wear it on special days and think of you each time.

From coworkers

63. Thank you for the thoughtful gift. It's on my desk where it makes me smile every morning.
64. Thank you for the plant. It's the only thing thriving on our floor, so I'll take good care of it.
65. Thank you all for the card and the gift. I'm lucky to work with people this kind.
66. Thank you for remembering my birthday. The coffee is already put to good use.

For notes to each coworker who chipped in on a group gift, thanks for help at work, and farewell notes, see thank-you notes to a coworker.

From a boss or manager

67. Thank you for the generous holiday gift. I appreciate it, and I appreciate working for you.
68. Thank you for the gift card and the kind words. It's a pleasure to be part of this team.
69. Thank you for the thoughtful gift. It meant a lot to be recognized this way.

From friends

70. Thank you for the best birthday present. You know me better than anyone.
71. Thank you for the housewarming gift. The wine is waiting for you, so come over soon.
72. I can't believe you remembered I wanted this. Thank you for being such a good friend.
73. Thank you for the gift and for years of laughing until we cry. Here's to many more.
74. Thank you! This is so me, and you're so you for finding it.

From your child's teacher

75. Thank you for the book you gave Sam at the end of the year. He's read it twice and wants to write you a letter about it.
76. Thank you for the thoughtful gift for our class. The kids haven't stopped talking about it.
77. Thank you for the handwritten note and the gift for Lily. She's kept the note in her desk drawer.
78. Thank you for a year of patience, stories and gold stars, and for the gift, too.

For notes that thank a teacher for the year, and the ones a teacher sends each family after class gifts, see thank-you notes to a teacher.

From a neighbor

79. Thank you for the cookies. They didn't last the evening, and we're very lucky to live next to you.
80. Thank you for the welcome basket. It made our first week in the house feel like home.
81. Thank you for the housewarming plant. We'll bring you some tomatoes this summer.
82. Thank you for the holiday treats. Our whole street is better because you're on it.

Longer thank-you notes for a gift

For the people closest to you, a few more sentences land well. Here are three you can adapt.

To a grandparent, for money

83. Dear Grandma and Grandpa, thank you so much for the graduation gift. I've put most of it into savings, as you'd want, and I used a little for a proper interview suit. I start my first job next month, and I'm wearing the suit on my first day. Thank you for always believing in me, and for every Sunday dinner along the way. All my love, Jess

To a friend, for a handmade gift

84. Hi Ana, I still can't believe you made this. The quilt is on our bed, and every time I look at it I find another fabric I recognize, from your old kitchen curtains to the shirt you wore to our graduation. It's the most personal thing anyone has ever given us. Thank you for the hours, and for the friendship behind them. Come see it in person soon. Love, Kate

To an aunt and uncle, for a registry gift

85. Dear Aunt Carol and Uncle Mike, thank you for the stand mixer. It's the first thing we unpacked in the new apartment, and it's already made a birthday cake, two batches of cookies and a pizza dough that almost worked. It means so much that you chose something we'll use for years. We can't wait to bake for you at Thanksgiving. With love and thanks, Rachel and Ben

Thank-you messages for a wedding, baby shower, graduation or Christmas gift

The messages above work for any gift. Some occasions have their own habits, and these guides cover each one in detail:

• Wedding gifts. Couples usually sign both names and thank guests for coming as well as for the gift. See what to write in a wedding thank-you note for wording and example messages, including cash, group gifts, guests who couldn't attend and the wedding party.
• Baby shower gifts. Parents-to-be thank guests, the host and those who sent something from afar. See baby shower thank-you wording.
• Graduation gifts. Thank them for the gift and for celebrating with you, and say what the gift is going toward: books, a first apartment, the move to a new city. The Graduation occasion on ShipNote, our card service, starts with a message that thanks each guest for their gift and for celebrating with you.
• Kids' birthday party gifts. Name the gift, say one thing about how it's being used, and sign from the child or the family. See birthday thank-you cards for first-birthday and party-guest wording, and for mailing a card to every guest.
• Christmas gifts. Whether a card is expected depends on how the gift was given. See should you send thank-you cards for Christmas gifts? for the rule gift by gift. For messages by giver, from grandparents to a child's teacher, and how to mail the whole list with a family photo on the front, see Christmas thank-you cards.
• Amazon wish list gifts. Amazon won't send your note, and a plain wish list doesn't show who bought each gift the way a Gift List or an Amazon registry does. See Amazon wish list thank-you notes.

If you'd rather have a draft written for you, the free thank-you note generator builds a note from the occasion, who you're thanking and the kind of gift.

What not to write in a thank-you message

Leave out the amount of money, any mention of a return, comparisons with other gifts and long apologies. Most weak thank-you notes fail by being vague or by saying too much, and a note that names the gift and says one true thing about it avoids both. Skip these:

• Don't write "thank you for the gift" and stop. Name it. The giver should know you know what they sent.
• Don't mention the amount of money. Say what it's going toward instead.
• Don't mention a return or an exchange. Even if you made one, the note is about the giver.
• Don't compare it with other gifts. "Our favorite gift" is fine; "better than what your sister gave us" is not.
• Don't apologize at length for a late note. One line ("I'm sorry this is late") and then the thanks.
• Don't let the note become a newsletter. One personal sentence beats a paragraph of updates.

How do you send thank-you messages for a whole list of gifts?

Write one message with placeholders for each person's name and gift, then fill them in from your list of who gave what. That is how one person thanks forty wedding guests or a whole baby shower in an evening, and it is exactly what ShipNote does: it prints each card with that guest's name and gift, addresses it and mails it.

Here is how it works. Pick the Just Thanks occasion, or one made for the event, such as Wedding, Baby Shower, Birthday or Graduation. On the back, the Just Thanks starter message reads:

Dear [RECIPIENT],

Thank you so much for the [GIFT_NAME]. It truly made my day, and I'm so grateful for your thoughtfulness.

With thanks, [YOUR NAME]

[RECIPIENT] is a placeholder that becomes each person's name exactly as your list gives it, and [GIFT_NAME] becomes the gift that person gave. Rewrite the message in your own words using any of the ideas above; just keep "the [GIFT_NAME]" where the gift should go, because each gift name drops in right after "the".

Then add your list of who gave what: paste a registry's thank-you list, a spreadsheet or names and gifts typed out, or upload a file or a photo of a handwritten list. ShipNote reads it into one row per guest, each with a name, the gift and the mailing address when your list has one (every card needs an address before checkout, so type in any that are missing, or send that guest a link to fill in their own). You can change any gift name or leave it blank; a blank one prints as "the gift". If the same guest appears on several rows under the same name, they get one card that names their gifts together, such as "the dutch oven, salad spinner and knife block". Type each gift the way you would write it in a sentence: "Starbucks gift card" prints as "the Starbucks gift card", while a name typed all in title case, like "Stand Mixer", prints in lowercase.

A Review step shows every card before you pay, with each guest's own name and gifts filled in. Here, one guest's two gifts share a card:

On that step you can edit any single card, for example to add a line about how you're using the gift or to change "Dear Ray Kowalski," to "Dear Uncle Ray,", without touching the rest. We print every card and mail it with USPS First-Class postage the next business day; cards typically arrive in 4–7 business days.

Each card costs $2.49, or $1.99 each from 10 cards, with printing, postage and mailing included. Start your thank-you cards, or read how ShipNote works first.

Related reading

• What to write in a wedding thank-you note: messages for gifts, cash, group gifts and the wedding party.
• Baby shower thank-you wording: notes for guests, the host, coworkers and cash gifts.
• Should you send thank-you cards for Christmas gifts?: which holiday gifts need a card and which don't.
• How to sign and end a thank-you card: 100 sign-offs, and how to end a note for a gift.
• Thank you for your hospitality messages: what to write when someone hosted you rather than gave a gift.
• Do you send thank-you cards if there's no gift?: when a thank-you card is right even without a present.
• Thank-you note generator: a free tool that drafts a note from the occasion and the kind of gift.