45 Simple Thank You Messages For Friends – A Writing Guide

What a blessing it is to have friends! You can write thank you messages for friends whenever you feel thankful for them; they do something nice for you, give you a gift, etc.

Writing a quick thank-you message to a friend can be done in two or three sentences. A thank-you message is an easy way to let your friends know you are grateful for them.

You can send your friend a meaningful text message or a handwritten note card. Or, you can share a general thank-you message on social media for all your friends.

How to Say Thank You to a Friend

Thanking your friends can be done in a few steps.

1. Decide what you want to thank them for.

Are you thanking them in general for being a friend? Or is this thank you for a specific gift or occasion?

2. Decide how to share the message.

You will most likely send your friend a text message, an instant message, a social media post, or a handwritten notecard in the mail.

Here are a few friendship days great for sending friends appreciation messages.

If you choose to write a handwritten card, please plan to mail the notecard to arrive on or around the correct date for the national friend days.

3. Write the thank you message

For a  handwritten thank you note, you will need to include a greeting, the thank you message followed by closing, and sign your name like in the examples below. A detailed explanation can be read in the how to write a thank you note guide.

You only need the “thank you” part of the note for an instant message, text, or social media post.

Example #1

Dear Friend’s Name,

Thank you for being a great friend. I appreciate the good times and laughter that we share. I appreciate our friendship every day.

Best Regards,

Your Name

Example #2

Dear Friend’s Name,

Thank you for the thoughtful gift. The cat earrings for my birthday are cute. You’re a sweet friend.

Thanks Again,

Your Name

The simple thank you message formula

The first two examples above follow a formula. The first example is thanking a friend for the relationship or in general. The second example is when you want to express your gratitude for something specific, such as a gift.

#1 Thank you for being ___.

#2 Thank you for the ____.

Both messages also include a compliment. You can start or end your thank you message with a compliment.

Many examples below give you ideas for how to word appreciation and thank you messages for a friend.

Tip: The tone and context of your thank-you messages depend on your relationship with your friend. What you say to a casual friend will be different than what you write to a best friend or boyfriend.

For Facebook or other social media, where a group will see your message may sound more generic.

There are sample messages below for many occasions when friends are commonly thanked, such as for birthday wishes, gifts, following a visit or a trip, after a funeral, or on Valentine’s Day. You can use them for inspiration as you express gratitude in words.

Thank You Friend Example Messages

Here are some basic examples of thanking one friend. The following sections will focus on best friends, gifts, and social media messages!

#1 Thank you for being a wonderful friend. I am glad you are in my life.

#2 I am so glad that we are friends. Thank you for meeting me for lunch this week.

#3 You’re an amazing friend! Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement.

#4 Thank you for being a true friend. I am glad that we share a love for [topic]. I enjoy our conversations very much. Our talk about karmic relationships last week was thought provoking. 

#5 I am thankful for you, my friend. Thank you for all the long walks and talks!

#6 Thank you for being my friend. I appreciate your guidance and advice whenever I reach out. I’ve learned so much from your experiences with [raising children / another topic].

#7 You’ve been an amazing support during the last few weeks by texting me every morning. Thank you for helping me have the motivation to stick with early morning exercise. I’m starting to feel stronger!

#8 Thank you for being there for me last week! I was so sad when my cat died. I appreciate you for sitting with me and listening to stories of happier times with my cat. You are an awesome, supportive friend.

#9 I appreciate you being such a great buddy. I’m happy you are part of my journey through life.

#10 I’m genuinely happy we are friends. I sincerely appreciate you joining me for dinner last weekend Friday. I enjoyed our visit and catching up.

#11 You’re a wonderful friend! I appreciate your continuous support and inspiration.

#12 Thank you for your encouraging text messages. They help me have a better day. You’re an excellent friend.

#13 Thank you for sharing your story with me. I’m delighted that we’ve become trusted friends.  I hope you have a great day.

#14 Thank you for helping me out last week! I’m so glad you were willing to stop by and help me _______.

#15 Thank you for giving me a hand driving the kids to school last week. You’ll be happy to hear that my car has been fixed.

Related: Thank you for the help messages.

Thank You Messages for Your Best Friend

This section will help you write a meaningful thank you message to your best friend. To customize your message with your own words, consider why you are grateful to them for being your best friend.

If your best friend is a lover or partner (or you feel comfortable), you can include “I love you.” or another love sentiment as part of your message.

#1 Thank you for being my best friend. I am grateful for all the good times we have shared and that I can trust you with secrets.

#2 Thank you for always being there for me. I’m glad that we are best friends! I am grateful that I can rely on you for anything at any time.

#3 I am so glad that we met at [location]. I feel fortunate that we’ve become best friends as adults. You are a true blessing in my life.

#4 Thanks for being my bestie! I enjoy our friendship very much. You are the greatest blessing, and I look forward to making more memories with you.

#5 I have so much love and appreciation for you. Thank you for your love and compassion. I’m grateful that I can share my tears and fears with you without judgment. You’re the best friend ever!

#6 Who would have guessed that we would go from coworkers to best friends? I am thankful I was placed on your team when I was new at [Company Name]. I’ll see you next week for our weekly lunch!

#7 Thank you for being my best friend and confidant. Life can be hard sometimes, and I’m glad we have each other to rely on.

#8 Our friendship is one of my favorite things in life. I love you and all the things we do and share together.

#9 You are my closest friend and soulmate. I’m forever thankful we have each other for support because life can be difficult at times. Thank you for everything you do.

#10 I adore you and everything we do and experience together. You, indeed are my best friend.

Thank You Messages For Friends and Family on Social Media

These thank-you messages for family and friends can be shared on social media such as Facebook or Twitter or in a group text. In addition, this type of message can be shared on special days celebrating friendship or when you feel grateful.

You can also read through these posts for specific occasions:

#1 Thank you to all my friends and family. I’m so glad that you are part of my life. I’m so grateful that

#2 Good friends are a blessing! I’m happy to be considered your friend.

#3 You’re all amazing. Thank you for the birthday wishes. They were the best part of my day!

#4 Thank you all for the happy birthday wishes! They helped make my day feel special.

#5 I appreciate each of you. Thank you for being great friends.

#6 I enjoy having such wonderful friends and family. Thank you all for being in my life as we celebrate National Friendship Day! (National Friendship Day is the first Sunday of August.)

#7 You’re all awesome friends. Whether we met at work, church, or elsewhere, I’m thankful we met and shared a connection.

#8 You’re all the best! I enjoy seeing your pictures and funny memes. I am thankful for our friendship.

#9 Thank you to everyone who wrote a sympathy message this week. Losing my Dad has been highly challenging for the entire family. We appreciate your love, support, prayers, and kind words.

#10 Thank you all for your support during this time. I appreciate all the virtual hugs!

Related: Thank you for the birthday wishes messages

Thank You Messages For Gifts Received From Friends

Here are thank-you messages for when you receive a gift from a friend. The gift could be for your birthday, Christmas, other occasions, or just because!

For your thank-you notes, be sure to mention the gift specifically.

#1 Thank you for the birthday gift! The socks are cozy, and I appreciate that they are my favorite color. You’re a thoughtful friend.

#2 Thank you for coming to my birthday party and for the gift. The gift card to [Pet Store Name] is excellent. I will have fun choosing new toys and treats for the cats. You are their favorite friend.

#3 Thank you for the surprise gift! The purse with the cat-themed fabric is so cute. I appreciate you for thinking of me when you saw it at the second-hand store. It’s in great condition. It’s safe to say that I use it more than the previous owner.

#4 Thank you for the generous gift. I was so surprised when I opened the card. You’re an amazing person. I will use the money towards groceries. Again, I’m grateful for your support. You’re a good, considerate friend.

#5 You are so good at choosing gifts. I love the [item] you gave me for [my birthday/Christmas]. It is perfect. Also, I don’t tell you often enough that your friendship means the world to me.

#6 Thank you for the cat calendar for Christmas. I look forward to turning the page each month, as cats are beautiful.

#7 Thank you for sending me flowers yesterday. That was thoughtful and caring when you heard I was having a rough day. They cheered me up! They are a testament to our true friendship. You’re the best BFF.

#8 I am grateful for our friendship and your ongoing support for my fitness goals. The gift card to the Sporting Goods store is very much appreciated. I used it for some cold-weather leggings to keep walking outdoors in the winter.

#9 Thank you for the book about [topic/title]. I will start reading it soon. You’re reading recommendations are usually excellent.

#10 You’re a great friend! Thank you for giving me a birthday gift card to the movies to the movies for my birthday. I enjoy going on the discount day and having a large popcorn. You’re thoughtful for remembering that detail about me!

Also read:

Author: Heidi Bender

Title: Writer

Expertise: Thank You Notes

Bio:

Heidi Bender is a writer and author who founded Tons of Thanks. She aims to help people write thank-you notes by providing examples and tips. She is the author of She is the author of A Modern Guide to Writing Thank-You Notes.