The Ultimate Guide To Writing Christmas Thank You Notes With Examples

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Every Christmas, many gifts are given and received. You can write Christmas thank you notes to share your gratitude and appreciation.

Below, you will find frequently asked questions, tips, a Christmas Thank You Note Template, and example messages for saying thank you for Christmas gifts, money, gift cards, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas Thank-You Notes

Q. Should children living at home with their parent(s) or caretaker write thank-you notes to them?
A. No, this is not necessary. When living with their parents, the kids can give verbal thanks for their gifts. Of course, they still can if they want to, but parents do not need to ask them to do so. I confirmed this with my family members who have children.

Q. Who should you write thank you notes to for Christmas gifts?
A. Anyone who gives you a gift that lives outside of your home. This could be friends, aunts, uncles, grandparents, other family members, bosses, employees, coworkers, etc.

Q. Should you write a thank you note for a Christmas Card?
A. Optional. If you receive a Christmas card, you do not need to send a handwritten thank-you note in return. However, you can if you want to! Acknowledging the card through a text message or verbally would be fantastic. You can read example messages to say thank you for the Christmas card. People like to know that the effort they put into sending Christmas cards was appreciated.

However, if you receive money or a gift card in the card, you should write a thank you note.

Read: How to Thank Someone for Money or Thank You For The Gift Card Messages

Q. My younger children received Christmas gifts but are not old enough to write notes. Should I write a note for them?
A. Yes. A thank you note will acknowledge that the gift was appreciated and received (if mailed). If you have multiple children, one thank-you note from the entire family is fine.

Q. Does the thank you note need to be handwritten?
A. Yes, is my personal preference. Most people consider handwritten notes more personal. It will likely take less time to write the thank you note than it took the person to choose, wrap, and give the gift to you. However, please email or text or tell them in person if you will not be handwriting a note. That’s better than not expressing your gratitude for the gift.

You could choose to use a Printable Christmas Thank You Card which you can print at home.

Q. We did a White elephant gift exchange at the Christmas party. Should we write thank you notes?
A. No. You may not know who the gift was from, depending on how the game is played. Also, white elephant gift items are usually not expensive (they could be something from home you didn’t want), could be goofy, and not personally picked out for you.

So unless the dollar amount for the gifts was high, you can just go ahead and skip the thank you notes. The exchange is more about the fun than what you end up with.

Q. The people I exchange Christmas gifts with never send thank-you notes. Should I still send them a thank you note?
A. Yes. They may not know how to write a note, haven’t developed a thank-you note-writing habit, or perhaps they have some other reason. You can still send them a note.

Q. What if I do not like the gift and will not be keeping it?
A. You should still write a thank you note. Try your best to be polite without lying. Don’t say you love it when you don’t. Thank them for the gesture of giving you a gift. Depending on your relationship with the person, you may tell them or make a joke about re-gifting it.

Christmas Thank You Note Writing Tips

Write one note. If your birthday is within 7 – 10 days of Christmas (before or after), you can write one thank you that includes your birthday and Christmas gifts to people who give you both a Christmas and a birthday present. Your note will need to be a little longer than most thank you notes as you will need to mention all of the birthday and Christmas gifts specifically.
Be Prompt. Write the note within 1-2 weeks of receiving the gift. Aim to do them as soon as possible. If you received the gift in the mail and are not sending the note within 1 or 2 days, I suggest emailing or contacting the giver to let them know it was received. Then, you can follow up with a thank you. If you are not prompt in acknowledging the gift, the giver is left to wonder if the card or gift got lost in the mail.
Keep track. Help your older kids keep track of what they are receiving. This is extremely helpful if they are getting gifts at different Christmas parties. Use a notebook or small notepad to make a list or a printable gift tracker.
Plan for it. Be organized and plan for thank-you note writing. If you have thank-you notes on hand before receiving the gifts, you are much more likely to write them promptly.
Choose a notecard. Use a Christmas-themed notecard if you want to. If not, pick a nice-looking thank you note card you like or the receiver will like. More tips on choosing the design of a card can be read here. Amazon has plenty of choices if you do not mind sifting through reviews to find quality cards.
Remember the host. Send the host a thank you note if you attend a Christmas party. Parties are a lot of work and time to plan and organize and make or arrange for food.

Here are some related posts with example messages:

Christmas Thank You Note Template

The template will work for most Christmas gifts.

Dear [1. insert name],

Thank you for the [2. insert gift]. 3. Next, specifically, how you will use it, why you like it, what you will spend the money on, etc. 4. Then comment about the holiday party or seeing them, etc.

5. Thanks Again,
[6. sign your name]

Notes about the template:

[1. Insert name] – If you do not feel comfortable using Dear, you can use Hi or Hello or only their name. If the gift was from a couple, use Mr. and Mrs. instead of their first names if that is how you refer to them in person.

[2. Insert gift] – Be sure to thank them for each gift, as at Christmas time, the odds of getting more than one gift are greater (ex., from your parents).

[3. Next, specifically] – Don’t be generic. Be yourself and say how you will use the gift or how much you enjoyed the Christmas dinner they hosted.

[4. Then add…] – This is the Christmas season! No need to be a scourge with your words. Include something holiday-related, say something nice about their kids, we enjoyed seeing you at the party, etc. We hope you have a nice Christmas.

[5. The closing] I like to end with Thanks Again. If you received the gift before Christmas, consider using “Merry Christmas.”

[6. Sign your name] If the gift was given to the family, it is okay to sign everyone’s name. It’s a nice touch if each person (who is old enough) signs their name, but it’s okay if they don’t since you are the one writing the note anyway.

Christmas Thank You Note Examples

One of the challenges of writing thank-you notes is knowing what to say! These examples are just that, examples. I encourage you to paraphrase them for your own needs. Note that the links in the examples are Amazon affiliate links, meaning I will receive a small commission if you click the link and then make any purchase. Thank you for your support.

Dear Sally and Bob,

Thank you for giving us Apples to Apples for Christmas. We enjoyed playing this game with you last summer. The kids love to play it, too. We can play it the next time you are over. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

Thanks Again,
Heidi and Ted

Note: The following examples will be the center section of the note (steps 2-4 in the template).

Thank You for the Christmas Gifts Messages

There are more examples in the Thank You for the Christmas Gifts post.

#1 Thank you for Scrabble along with Scrabble Dictionary! This is one of our favorite games. We look forward to seeing you every year at the annual Christmas party.

#2 Thank you for The Hunger Games book set. I liked the movies and will look forward to reading the books. I had a nice time visiting with you at the holiday party and hope to see you soon.

#3 Thank you for the Christmas gifts for my family. I appreciate you mailed them since we cannot see you this year. The kids enjoyed opening them, and they commented about the amount of tape that Grandma uses! The clothes were all the correct size, and the kids love their new toys and stuffed animals.

Thank You for the Christmas Money Messages

#1 Thank you for sending us some Christmas cash. We will be putting it towards a new microwave. As you know, we’ve been without one for quite a while now and look forward to the convenience of having one again. We are excited to see you soon at the family Christmas party!

#2 Thank you for the Christmas money. I will be saving it for something fun, perhaps a nice dinner out or to see a movie. Playing games with you at the party and catching up was enjoyable. I was happy to hear that your children are doing well.

#3 Thanks for the Christmas money. I am unsure what I will do with it yet, but I appreciate having a little extra cash in my pocket. Perhaps I will get a book or many of my favorite cups of coffee from Starbucks.

Thank You for the Christmas Gift Card Messages

#1 I was excited to get a gift card to [store name] from you for Christmas! [Store name] is one of my all-time favorite stores. I will enjoy spending the gift card on a few treats for myself. I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

#2 Thank you for the gift card to Kohls. I love shopping there and will use it for some new clothes for work. We will miss seeing you at the Christmas party this year but understand that you will be working.

#3 You know me well! Thank you for the Amazon gift card. I will enjoy spending and getting a few items I’ve had on my wish list for a while. I enjoy shopping online.

Thank You for the Christmas Dinner or Party Messages

Here are a few examples of how to say thank you for a Christmas party.

Also read: 25 Thank You For The Christmas Party Note Examples

#1 Your Christmas party was awesome! Thanks so much for having us over. Seeing the Hardy’s was a pleasant surprise as we have not seen them in many years. The food was excellent, too. I love that you had chips and homemade guacamole, one of my favorites. I look forward to seeing you again soon.

#2 Thank you for having us over for Christmas. We enjoyed the food and visiting with the family. It is always a joy to spend time at your home. Your children are delightful, and we like playing games with them.

#3 The Christmas party was so much fun. Thank you for inviting us. We had a great time visiting, and the white elephant game was exciting. Also, having everyone bring an appetizer was an excellent idea. I was able to try so many new foods. And your homemade baklava was the best baklava I’ve ever had.

Thank You for the Christmas Bonus Messages

Related: 41 thank you note examples to thank the boss for a gift (includes Christmas gift examples)

#1 Thank you for the Christmas bonus. I look forward to it each year and was very excited about this year’s amount. The company’s generosity is much appreciated. I hope you enjoy your time off for the holidays!

#2 Thank you for the Christmas bonus. It was unexpected and will allow my family to have a few extra gifts this Christmas! I am thankful to work on your team and at a company where hard work is rewarded. I hope you have a great Christmas!

#3 I appreciate the year-end bonus. Thank you for my portion of the pot. Having my efforts recognized through a bonus felt great, and I’m looking forward to next year.

Thank You for the Christmas Team Lunch Examples

#1 Thank you for taking the team out to lunch for Christmas. Having a fancy lunch with the team was fun. I also appreciate that you reserved a private room at the restaurant for us. I hope you have a great Christmas!

#2 Thank you for taking the Christmas team lunch. Chatting with you and the team away from the office was enjoyable. And, of course, the food was wonderful. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

#3 I love the perks of working at [company name]. The team lunch at [fancy restaurant name] was wonderful and helped me to feel that the team is appreciated. Of course, the food was delicious, especially the shrimp dish.

Thank You for the Christmas Flowers Examples

#1 Thank you for the Christmas flowers! The amaryllis looks beautiful on my kitchen counter. Several visitors have commented on it as well.

#2 Thank you for the Christmas poinsettia, my favorite holiday plant. The red leaves are magnificent in the winter. I will enjoy the plant for many weeks.

#3 The red and white carnations for Christmas are amazing! The pine mixed in with the flower adds a pleasant scent. I appreciate that you thought of us this holiday season.

If you found this guide helpful, please share it! I hope you have a great holiday season.

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