Babylist's Guide to Thank You Cards: When to Send, What to Say + Our Faves

You’ve opened all of the baby gifts from your friends and family and we’re sure you can’t wait to start setting everything up. But before you dive into full-on nesting mode (like building the crib, setting up the bassinet and washing all the tiny clothes) there’s one more task to consider.

According to traditional etiquette rules, you should send a thank you card any time you receive a gift, and especially following baby showers and weddings. Even if you thanked guests during the party (or over the phone), there’s nothing quite like sending a personalized thank you note.

We know you have a ton of things left to do before baby arrives, but there’s good news. Writing thank you cards doesn’t have to be a whole to-do. Here are our tips for keeping the task simple, thoughtful and organized.

When to Send Thank You Cards

You should aim to send out your thank you cards within two weeks of your baby shower (whether it’s in person or virtual). We think it’s a good idea to get it done within this time frame if you can since everything will be fresh on your mind. It’ll also ensure you get them sent before baby arrives (most likely!). But it’s also ok if you send them past two weeks (you’ve got a lot going on!). It’s truly the thought that counts and getting a sincere handwritten note feels special no matter when you receive it. And if you never get around to sending them, your people will understand—they know you have your hands (and mind) full!

Tips for Writing Thank You Cards

Whether you’re opening gifts in front of shower guests or saving them for later, there are a few things you can do to help stay organized and make the process a bit easier.

• Whether you’re opening gifts during the shower or saving them for later, be sure to designate a note-taker to keep track of who is gifting what. You can also check the gift tracker on your Babylist registry for a list of what was purchased and by whom. (Note: you should also be able to see the gift-giver’s address if they opted to share it).
• Writing down gifts as you open them is also helpful for keeping track of gifts you receive that you didn’t register for (since they won’t be in your gift tracker).
• Split thank you card writing duties with your partner if you have one (especially if you had a larger baby shower).
• If you utilized the group gift feature on your registry, you’ll want to send thank you cards to each person who contributed to the gift.

What to Say in Your Thank You Cards

The main goal when writing thank you cards is to express your gratitude and appreciation for your guests and their gifts, whether they were able to attend in person or sent a gift in their absence (if you had a baby shower, of course). But what you write doesn’t need to be elaborate. The most important thing is to be sincere. And unlike writing the shower invitations, each thank you card should be personalized.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Thank your guest(s) for coming to your baby shower.
• Write a personal note about how you appreciate their support in this phase of life or you can’t wait for them to meet the baby.
• Mention something about what they gifted and how you’re looking forward to using it.

Where to Buy Thank You Cards

There are a few different places to get thank you cards, but our top tip is to order them with your baby shower invitations. Websites like Minted and Etsy usually offer thank you cards in the same design suite as your shower invitations. If you’re not worried about them matching, you can also find cute thank you note sets at places like Target or Paper Source (and they’re typically more affordable this way).

And what if you used digital invitations for your baby shower? Digital thank you cards are also a thing! While some more traditional types may not agree with receiving a thank you card via email or text, we think it’s okay to send digital thank you cards—especially if it makes your life easier.