Thank you cards can be a nice touch after an event or party but are they really necessary? That short answer is: sometimes. It really depends on the type of event/party. Regardless of whether it’s socially required to send guests a thank you card for certain parties and events, it’s always a good idea if you want to make your guests feel good! In a study done at the University of Chicago, researchers found that the people who received thank you cards were far more appreciative than the sender might have thought.
In this guide, we will explore some of the pros of why you should send thank you cards after an event, but first, we’re going to keep this blog simple and provide you with exactly what events and parties that thank you cards are necessary and which ones “aren’t”.
Towards the end after the complete list of events, we will also provide some tips on how to make the most out of your thank you cards, so make sure to check them out!
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What Events Are Thank You Cards Necessary
We’re going to split the events into three categories to make things simple and easy to read. We’ve included an infographic showcasing all events for quick reference or if you want to save it for later!
- Events where thank you cards are necessary
- Events that thank you cards are optional
- Events you don’t need to send thank you cards
Let’s take a look!
Events Where Thank You Cards Are Necessary
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Baby Showers
If you’ve recently had a baby shower, congratulations! It’s so exciting having a baby on the way. It’s also a busy time for you as you prepare, however, it is essential that you send out thank you cards to the guests you invited to your shower. A baby shower is a fun party however guests still put in a ton of time and effort coming to one. They may have missed work or even had to travel for it. On top of that, they likely spent some money on purchasing gifts. With all of that in mind, you can see why it’s important to show your appreciation for them!
Weddings
When it comes to thank you cards after a wedding, there’s no debate. If you are having a wedding, sending out thank you notes for guests is simply expected. It doesn’t matter if it was a large or small affair, your guests will expect to hear from you! Much like baby showers, the guests spent a lot of time and money. Thank you cards are necessary for weddings. Writing them out may seem like an overwhelming task but don’t worry, we have some tips at the end of this post that will make things easier for you.
Wedding Showers
Similar to baby showers and weddings, it’s important to send out thank you cards after a wedding/bridal shower. So shortly after your bridal shower with the mimosa bar, gifts, and all, make sure to send out or give your attendees a thank you note! Your guests were generous in their gifts for the bride to be, so be sure to express your gratitude with a thank you card!
Bachelorette & Bachelor Parties
For any bachelorette or bachelor party, thank you cards are necessary. Your friends and family went above and beyond to make sure the bride/groom had an amazing last night of freedom before the big day! Show your appreciation with a thank you card. Plus this is a great opportunity to use some humor from something that may have happened at the party right before getting hitched!
Engagement Party
Engagement parties are a lovely way to celebrate two people in love! If you’ve recently thrown one, be sure to send out thank you cards. The guests were likely so excited for the couple and they may have traveled or purchased something special as a gift. Show your appreciation by sending them a card.
Bar Mitzvah
If you planned out a bar mitzvah party, you should definitely send out thank you cards! As guests come to celebrate the young adult’s transition into maturity, sending them a token of appreciation is the courteous thing to do.
Quinceanera Party
For a quinceanera party, thank you cards are necessary. Much like the other events we mentioned above, guests put in time and effort to attend the event. Plus it’s likely that they purchased gifts for the occasion as well. It’s important to show your appreciation for them with a heartfelt thank you card or one that will bring laughter and a smile to their face.
Graduations
Graduation ceremonies are such special times and the people who attended yours certainly deserve your appreciation. Don’t forget to send out thank you cards as soon as possible after the event (ideally within a week or two). Whether it was family members, friends, or other attendees who helped you celebrate your accomplishment, a thank you card is the perfect way to show them how much their presence meant to you.
Birthday Parties
If you’ve recently planned or currently planning a birthday party, you know how much goes into and the last thing you want to do is add more to it. However, you should plan on sending out thank you cards to your guests (especially if it’s a kid’s party). This shows the people that arrived and also brought birthday presents to feel appreciated and it also teaches kids the importance of writing thank you cards and showing appreciation.
Events That Thank You Cards Are Optional
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Gender Reveal Party
Gender reveal parties are so much fun and they’ve become increasingly popular over the past few years. It’s not necessarily expected to send out thank you cards after a gender reveal party, but if you’d like to show your appreciation for those who attended or purchased gifts, then go ahead! A simple note of thanks is more than enough though.
Retirement Parties
When someone retires they’ve likely spent many years at their job. Retirement is a special occasion and very exciting, but typically you don’t need to send out a thank you card unless you really feel like spreading some more love OR if your guests bought you gifts. Usually, if there are gifts involved, you’ll want to say thank you with a note.
Housewarming Parties
A housewarming party is usually a fun event for friends and family who want to help you celebrate your new home. It’s also an opportunity for them to give meaningful gifts that will help make your house feel more like home. In this case, sending out thank you cards after the event may not be necessary unless your guests bring some gifts or went above and beyond with their time, then writing out a few cards definitely wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Divorce Parties
Divorce parties are occasions celebrating a new chapter in someone’s life. It can be a bit of an awkward event and it might not be necessary. But if your guests did something that really made the party special for you, sending them a thank you card would let them know how much their gesture meant to you. Or if you want to make light of everything, you could also send humorous thank you cards!
Events You Don’t Need to Send Thank You Cards
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Common Holiday Parties Without Gifts (New Years, Halloween, Etc.)
For holiday parties that don’t include gifts, thank you cards aren’t really necessary most of the time. If people do give you small presents, it’s nice to drop them a quick note of thanks afterward, but sending out individual cards isn’t necessary.
This includes:
- New Years
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Valentine’s Day
- 4th of July
- Mardi Gras
- St. Patty’s Day
Dinner Parties
Unless your dinner party guests brought you expensive gifts or did something tremendous for the occasion, you don’t need to send out thank you cards after the event. A simple gesture at the end of the night would be enough to show your appreciation for coming!
Reunions
Reunions are events that bring people together to catch up after some time. If you’ve recently had one, sending out a thank you card isn’t all that necessary. Typically there are no gifts at reunions and it just doesn’t really make a ton of sense in this type of event.
Common Parties Without Gifts
For parties like pizza parties or pool parties where there are typically no gifts exchanged, thank you cards aren’t necessary. However, if someone does bring a gift to the event then it would be nice to show your appreciation with a note of thanks! But otherwise, you typically don’t need to worry about sending one out!
Common parties that don’t need thank you cards:
- Game Night
- Dance Party
- Viewing Party
- Pool Party
- Super Bowl Parties
- Farewell Parties
- Pizza Party
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Tips on How to Make the Most Out of Your Thank You Cards
If you do decide to send out thank you cards after an event, here are a few tips to make it easier, fun, and more meaningful:
1. Include your own personal touch in the note – generic cards are great but writing something extra is a great touch! This way, you can show the recipient that you truly appreciate them and their gesture.
2. Give yourself enough time – don’t wait until the last minute to write out your thank you cards! Set aside some time in advance so that you have plenty of time to get everything done and they’re sent out on time.
3. Put it together with a gift – if you’ve received a gift from someone, putting together a small bundle of goodies with the card will make it even more meaningful.
4. Write from the heart – don’t worry about getting it just perfect, write what comes naturally to you and let your feelings show! This will make it all the more special for your recipient.
5. Use some humor – humor is always a great way to lighten up any thank you card and make it even more memorable. People love a good laugh and using funny thank you cards is a sure way to put a smile on their faces!
6. Touch on a couple of things – mention your relationship, acknowledge why you’re thanking them, mention the gift they gave, and close the letter with either something thoughtful or humorous.
At the end of the day, taking the time to send out thoughtful thank you cards after a party shows your appreciation for your guests. Even if it isn’t necessary, sending out a few cards can be a great way to show your gratitude! So make sure to keep these tips in mind next time you’re planning on sending out some thank you cards!
Assortment of Funny Thank You Cards for Parties & Events
If you’re looking for a unique and quirky way to thank your guests, then you’ll want to check out our Funny Thank You Card Assortment Pack! This pack contains 42 cards (6 designs of 7 each) sure to keep your guests rolling in laughter long after the event. These simple and creative thank you cards are full of funny sayings such as:
- “You’re all that and dim sum!”
- “Thanks Shallot!”
- “I a-peach-iate you!”
Seriously dough, these are the perfect way to say thank you to guests and they come in the most adorable designs! So make sure to pick up this fun card collection today, and say thanks in style!
Thank you cards are necessary at some events and parties, and their a great way to show your guests that you appreciate them. Not only do they make the recipients feel special, but saying thanks with gestures like this can also make you feel good!
Hopefully, this ultimate guide to thank you cards gave you some great insight into when you should be providing your guests with thank you cards! If we missed an event or if you’re not sure about one, feel free to leave a comment down below or send us a message here, we would love to help you out!
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