I always mean to write thank-you notes after birthdays, after Christmas, but it’s something I’ve never gotten round to. DOn’t get me wrong, I always make sure I thank the person, just never a specially written note.
Taking the time to handwrite a letter, seal it in an envelope, buy a stamp and then take a trip to the postbox expresses so much more gratitude than sending an email or text ever could. It tells the recipient that they’ve not been forgotten and shows them just how important they are to you. Handwritten notes also have some permanence. Many of us decide to keep an old shoe box over the years and fill it will letters and notes from family, friends or colleagues. Years later people often read back through those letters and remember the fond memories that are attached to them. The same feelings are not evoked through emails or text messages, physical letters are enduring and much more memorable.
Pen Heaven have found some of the most uplifting thank you notes to inspire you to reach out to someone you care about and say thank you.
The most thoughtful thank you note goes to… Emma Watson
Harry Potter actress Emma Watson took time in between filming to thank fellow actor Steve Carell. She wrote him a beautiful handwritten note for supporting her cause #HeForShe. Emma also shared her admiration for the actor at different parts in his career. Her beautiful words and of course that beautiful handwriting were bound to make Carell smile. Carell wore #HeForShe cufflinks to the Oscars when he was nominated in the Best Actor category for his role in Foxcatcher. Watson did a great job at expressing her gratitude and wins the title of most thoughtful thank you note from us.
The thank you note with the most character goes to… Honor Smith
9 year old Honor Smith wrote a charming letter to the Virgin boss, Richard Branson. Clearly overwhelmed by the letter Sir Richard shared it across his social networking sites and took the time out of his busy schedule to handwrite a thank you note back to her. Young Honor Smith has so much bravery for writing this honest and open letter. Honour thanked him for sharing a video on dyslexia and explained how his video has helped her overcome the issue. This letter was bound to make Sir Richard feel incredibly proud and what an incredible little girl Honor is to write this note, she truly deserves the award for thank you note with the most character.
The most emotional thank you note goes to… Bethanie
This touching letter was written by a lady named Bethanie and given to the pilots who took her home. In the heartfelt note, Bethanie showed compassion, gratitude and appreciation for a job that is often overlooked. The timing of this letter made it even more impactful as it was delivered shortly after the tragic Germanwings plane crash. The letter did as Bethanie wanted and ‘spread love’ as the grateful pilot took to Twitter to share the note which then went viral. This was bound to bring a tear to the eye of the pilot who received it and is worthy of the most emotional thank you note award.
The thank you note everyone wants to receive goes to… Beyonce
One of the most idolised women in the world, Beyonce wrote a moving thank you note to First Lady Michelle Obama. There is no doubt that Beyonce is one of the most powerful women in the world and to see that she has written a handwritten thank you note is humbling and shows just how grounded the queen of music really is. In the handwritten note Beyonce thanked Michelle for being a great role model for her and Jay-Z’s daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. There is not one woman out there that wouldn’t want to receive that letter so the award for the thank you note everyone want to receive is definitely from Beyonce.
The most inspiring thank you note goes to… Barack Obama
Now we turn to the President of the United States, Barack Obama who in 2010 wrote a heartwarming letter directly to Life of Pi author Yann Martel. If this note doesn’t inspire creativity then we’re not sure what would. Not many people will have the privilege of receiving a handwritten letter from Barack Obama but Mr Martel is a very lucky man. In the beautiful note Obama described Life of Pi as an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling. There’s no denying that Obama is a busy man so it’s incredibly humbling to see that he took the time to write this beautiful note, it makes you want to step up and write or do something that impacts somebody as much as this book clearly has. That’s why the award for the most inspiring thank you note goes to Barack Obama.
After sharing Pen Heaven’s favorite thank you notes we turned to CEO David Cole and asked him how he feels when he receives a handwritten thank you note.
“Receiving a handwritten letter creates feelings of excitement. It’s not often we get them so it’s always a very pleasant surprise to see a handwritten envelope in between a pile of bills. There is something incredibly personal about a handwritten note, the gratitude that it expresses, the memories that it brings back and the appreciation you feel really does boost your mood.”
Now it’s time for you to send a thank you note to someone that truly deserves it.
*Sponsored post from Pen Heaven
Whilst I don’t often send thank you notes, I do like sending and receiving handwritten letters. Me and W used to write to each other at university and I loved receiving the letters – I’ve kept all of them too. Do you send handwritten notes?