It’s that time of year to thank the teachers in your life, whether you’re 2 or 92.

Everyone has a teacher to thank, whether you’re 2 or 92. If you’re learning how to read, trying to code a video game, or are working on your guitar fingering, teachers are right there along with you, guiding you, cheering you on and encouraging you to work through mistakes.

One of the best ways to acknowledge a teacher’s value in your life is by writing him or her a thank you note, according to the National PTA. And writing a thank you note to a teacher is one of the best ways to teach a child how to show gratitude. Here are 3 tips to writing the perfect thank you note to a teacher.

Three Writing Tips

1. Be thankful. This is a thank you note, and so say it ! “Thank you for all your hard work with me this year.” “Thank you for helping me be the best I can be.” You get the picture.

2. Be specific. If you can point to a specific example or time that the teacher helped you, you’ll make the note become more personal and all the more treasured.  “I am so relieved that I know fractions now.” “The way you encouraged me to work on my fingering has given me more confidence than I ever imagined I could have.”

3. Be expansive. Teachers have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place. Wax poetic about their importance to you, your school or the world at large. You can never compliment a teacher too much.

Impression Notes in black ink on crisp white paper are the perfect canvas on which to express your gratitude.

Wedding season is upon us. Are you ready to write your wedding thank you notes? Don’t fall flat in conveying your gratitude. Avoid these common mistakes, and you’ll be sitting pretty.

Mistake #1 Sending out wedding thank you notes too late.

Do you remember what you did one year ago? Not many other people do either. So be sure that Uncle Marty gets that thank you note pronto, or at least within three months of the wedding.

Mistake #2 Writing a plain vanilla message.

Was your wedding a bore? Is your marriage lacking pizzazz? No way! So why should your thank you notes not reflect that same passion for the giver and the gift. Avoid general statements like: “Thank you for your generous gift.” Snore. Share your excitement with the giver about specific ways you’ll use the gift.

Mistake #3 Sending an e-card.

Yes, we do live in a digital age…but if cousin Sue drove 100 miles to get to your shindig, bought a new dress and gave you a hand-made quilt, she deserves a heart-felt, handwritten note that conveys all your love and appreciation. Unless you had a virtual wedding, avoid virtual cards.

Your children have opened their carefully wrapped presents. The evidence is everywhere . . . ribbons and bows are strewn across the floor. Crumpled tissue paper explodes out of boxes.

The merriment of the holiday is winding down to everyday life again. Now comes a teachable moment that will last your children a lifetime: thanking the generous friends and family in their lives.

Teaching children from a young age that it’s important to express their gratitude helps lay the groundwork for thoughtfulness and appreciation. Not only will they learn the importance of courtesy, they will be developing their communication skills as well.

Holiday Thank You Note How-Tos

Here are a few helpful hints to make the “chore” of writing holiday thank you notes both fun and rewarding:

• Set aside a specific time to sit down with your children and help them with their thank you notes to Grandma and Grandpa. Find a comfortable, well-lit place to relax and settle in. This helps them focus on the task at hand and avoid distractions. It’s no fun to have to nag or rush!

• Have the writing paper and envelopes, pens, markers, stickers and stamps ready and available. Kids will especially love being able to write thank yous on their very own stationery.

• If your child is still very young, you may need to be the designated writer; however, even young children can print their name or draw a picture to accompany the words you supply. Children will enjoy embellishing the note with their own stickers and drawings.

Children will love writing holiday thank you notes on their very own stationery!

• Be sincere. You want your kids to be authentic. Even if the gift wasn’t something they love, encourage them to thank the giver in genuine appreciation: “It must have taken you a long time to knit the sweater for me. Thank you!”

• Do it sooner rather than later. The longer you wait, the less enthusiastic your child will be and the easier it will be to let the good intentions evaporate.

• But do it later, too! Wouldn’t it be fun to make someone’s day by sending them a brief note, long after the holidays, reminding them of their gift and how it’s still being appreciated? “Remember that blue shirt you gave me for Christmas? Here’s a picture of me wearing it when we went to Disneyland.”

• Teach them how to fold the letter or card and tuck it into the envelope. Attach the stamp. Take a special trip to the post office to drop it into the slot. Children will enjoy personally sending their note off to its destination.

Finally, praise your child for their time and effort in writing a thank you. Explain to them how happy their note will make Grandpa or Aunt Ellen. In newspaper advice columns across the country, people are lamenting that they haven’t received thank you notes. But it doesn’t have to be a dying art. If you teach your children the joy of writing at an early age, they’ll continue it throughout their life . . . and it will help them maintain strong relationships that we all know are the key to happiness in life.

Customize the Classic Monogram Bordered Card with a monogram or colored border that matches your wedding colors

The new wedding dishes have found a home in your kitchen. The wedding photos are on their way. And memories of your blissful honeymoon are fresh in your mind. Now what? Have you written your first wedding thank you note yet?

It might be time to tackle that pile of thank you notes you owe to your family and friends. The simple act of handwriting a thoughtful note will be a meaningful memento to them. They put in a lot of effort to help you celebrate. Taking the time to write a beautiful thank you note speaks volumes about the type of person you are and the kinds of relationships you’ll maintain for the rest of your life.

So, find your favorite pen. Choose some beautiful stationery and consult your gift list. Then start writing.

1. The Basic Format for the Wedding Thank You Note

The typical format for a wedding thank you note usually goes like this:

Salutation.

First line: thank them for the gift–be sure to name it. If it’s money, avoid naming the amount. The words “generous gift” will suffice.

Second line: tell them how you plan to use it, or some way that you admire or appreciate it.

Third line: thank them for their friendship or support or for coming to your event

Close. (Be sure both bride and groom sign each note.)

Simple, right?

2. Beyond the Basics

Move beyond these basics when writing to people especially close to you, or those who put extra thought and care into the gift. Perhaps you can keep these people on a separate “short list.” Add a few lines that acknowledge the generosity of parents who footed some of the wedding expenses. Praise the thoughtfulness of an aunt who created a beautiful handmade quilt out of your childhood clothes. Thank a friend who traveled across the country to be there for your big day.

The Sienna Monogram Note features a flowing, elegant monogram. It makes a beautiful wedding thank you note.

3. Add a Small Token

You might also choose to share a small object or additional lines of writing that are meaningful to you. You might tuck in a favorite recipe you discovered at a restaurant on your  honeymoon. Include a special quote from a parent’s toast or a lyric from your first dance. Try slipping in seeds of your favorite tree or fruit or vegetable. Perhaps you might slide in a wedding photo of you and the person you are thanking.

4. Choose Lovely Stationery with a Couple’s Monogram

May we suggest writing your thank you notes on single panel cards or folded notes featuring a beautifully embossed “couple’s monogram”? Your shared last name initial takes the center spot. Her first initial is on the left, his first initial is on the right.

Here are some of our favorites:

Henley Traditional Monogram Note  Simple & tasteful. Thank-you notes folded in white or ivory paper never go out of style. A perennial top-seller, our Henley Traditional Monogram Note features a flowing, embossed script for a timeless look. Ships in 24 hours.

A couple’s monogram features the shared last initial in the center, her first initial on the left and his first initial on the right.

Classic Frame Monogram Note   Giftsin24 features stationery by the top producer of embossed social stationery in the U.S., and this folding note is one reason why. You have to see and feel it in your hand to understand it: crisp, deeply impressed borders and gracefully winding letters lend elegant formality, while creamy, thick paper provides weight and consequence. Offered in traditional white or ivory with matching envelopes.

Classic Monogram Bordered Card   Fashions come and go, but the Classic Monogram Bordered Card is always in style. Featuring a beautifully rendered monogram in your choice of 10 raised-ink colors and a bold border in your choice of 6 colors, this card offers a multitude of options from which to create your signature look for your wedding thank you note. Try navy ink on white paper for a classic feel. If you like your stationery to match your morning latte, try the mocha ink on ivory paper. As with all our notes and cards, 50 matching envelopes are included. Optional lined envelopes make this stationery set even more yummy.

If you’re looking forward to an upcoming wedding, now is the time to start thinking about your wedding stationery. These papers will help make your day special, like the save-the-dates, the invitations, and thank you notes.

Personalized Wedding Thank You Notes

You may think that you’ll only need personalized thank you notes for writing wedding thank yous after the big day, but there will be many other occasions to pen a line of appreciation. Think engagement parties, bridal showers, luncheons and get-togethers. Each time someone hosts a party, sends a gift or extends their congratulations, you should respond with a personal, handwritten thank you note.

Pretty Wedding Invites

Embossed Graphics also makes beautiful wedding invitations. You can find them at your local stationery store. We craft them with triple-thick luxury paper. Plus, we also include special treatments like elaborate borders, pearl coatings, raised ink and cotton and linen papers.

You can order envelopes with fancy, patterned, hand-inserted linings and return addresses. As with our stationery, you have a choice of white or ivory paper. In addition, we color-match the envelopes that we make right here in our American factory. We make all our wedding invitations within three or four days.