Receiving an unexpected gift is always a nice surprise. Such kind acts affect different people differently. Some are overwhelmed with gratitude while others might be a bit embarrassed. A few might even be suspicious.
Regardless of what your individual situation is, a “thank you” is in order. Here are some suggestions on how to express your appreciation in a creative way:
💌 Send a heartfelt card
While sending a card may seem like a lame response to a gift, it can be a very sweet gesture if your heart is in it.
Rather than grabbing the first “thank you” card you stumble upon, why not make a special effort to find one that nails what you are thinking? It may take hours or even days to find the perfect card but when you do, you’ll know it and the recipient will know it too.
Take the time to add a note, personally sign it and address it in your own handwriting. Then, send it through the mail. There’s a lost art to sending cards through the mail and you can rest assured it will be appreciated.
⚙️ Send a custom card
Cards sent though the mail are special so imagine how appreciated the person who sent you and unexpected gift will feel when they receive a personalized card made just for them.
There are many places where you can have cards made including those that offer photo images and customized messages.
You can also make a card yourself by using a card-making program and your printer. If you’re stumped on what to say, you can get ideas online from inspirational sites, card stores, and gift shops.
Or you can make up your own witty, sentimental, or inspiring message.
Resources: Online Greeting Card Making Platforms:
Here are a few examples of online platforms that allow you to create beautiful custom cards:
Resources: Thank You Card Greetings Ideas
⌚ Spend some time
There are few things that are more precious than the giving of your time. Why not contact the gift giver and ask them to go have coffee or invite them out for lunch?
Or you could see if they minded if you stop by for a visit if that’s appropriate. What you do isn’t near as important as the fact that you are wanting to invest the valued commodity of time with them.
📱 Give a call
So much communication is done nonverbally these days with text messages and emails that it’s always nice when someone actually picks up the phone and calls.
Set aside some time to have a nice conversation with the person who sent you a gift and while you’re at it, be sure to personally thank them for their generosity and express in detail how it made you feel.
🤗 Reciprocate the gift giving
It’s a common reaction when someone gives you a gift to want to give them one in return. You do want to be careful when doing so. Reciprocating could come across as if you feel obligated to give them something or it could even appear rude.
There are times giving a gift to someone who surprised you with a gift could be a good idea though. For instance, if you were given art supplies, you could create a project for them or in the event you received yarn, crocheting or knitting a return gift would be nice.
The main thing is to think your individual situation through, so you get a feel for if giving a gift in return is appropriate…or not.
☺️ Expressions of Gratitude
It’s a common reaction when someone gives you a gift to want to give them one in return. You do want to be careful when doing so. Reciprocating could come across as if you feel obligated to give them something or it could even appear rude.
There are times giving a gift to someone who surprised you with a gift could be a good idea though. For instance, if you were given art supplies, you could create a project for them or in the event you received yarn, crocheting or knitting a return gift would be nice.
The main thing is to think your individual situation through, so you get a feel for if giving a gift in return is appropriate…or not.
Get personal
Receiving an unexpected gift is personal so your response should be personal too. Some suggestions of exact wording include:
“Thank you for making me feel so special.”
“Thank you so much. The gift couldn’t have come at a better time.”
“The gift was wonderful and so are you. I appreciate you thinking of me.”
“You made my day. Thank you…more than you know.”
“I love the gift…and you too!”
“You are so thoughtful. I appreciate what you did.”
“What an awesome surprise! You really made me smile.”
“You picked the perfect gift to send at the perfect time. How did you know…?”
Include the details
It’s always nice for the giver to hear not only how receiving the gift made you feel, but what you did with it.
- If it was money, how did you spend it?
- If it was a personal present, like flowers, a day at the spa, bath bombs, clothing, or gift certificate, let them know how nice it was or will be to have some “me time”.
Don’t be afraid to let them know if you were down and the gift lifted your spirits.
After all, you can be sure that was the intent of the gift giver – to make you feel good…and special.
Other thoughts
Adding a creative touch to your “thank you” goes a long way like:
Picture it!
Sending a picture of your gift, especially if you received flowers, a fruit basket, or anything else that was ordered and delivered without the giver ever seeing the gift, it’s fun for them to see the item. It’s even more special if you are in the photo too.
Write it! Sing it! Play it!
If you’re into writing, why not write a story or poem about receiving the gift?
It can be a first person account about your actual experience or even a third-person story that depicts what happened and how you felt through creative storytelling.
If you’re into poetry, try your hand at writing a poem or sonnet.
Maybe music is your thing. If so, you could return the gesture with a song or tune.
Whatever your talent is, you can use your gift to thank that special someone for their gift.
Acknowledge it.
Another possible way to thank the gift giver is to publicly acknowledge their act of kindness on social media.
You will want to be positive about the situation because typically, doing so is either a great idea…or a horrible one.
It depends on the person, their degree of involvement on social media, and other scenarios too. For some, the public recognition and acknowledgment is greatly appreciated. Be sure to personally thank the giver too.
Save it for a rainy day.
If you aren’t sure exactly how to thank the gift giver in a special way, go for a simple expression of gratitude and think on it a bit – like secretly giving them a “rain check”.
Be aware of the person’s situation and if they have a personal achievement or could use some cheering up, then you can return the favor in whatever way you choose.
Just ask.
Depending on the situation, you may can just ask the gift giver how you can express your gratitude.
“What can I do for you?” It’s not just everyone you can approach with such an offer, but best friends, siblings, and lovers may let you show your appreciation.
Perhaps your sister knew you were struggling and gave you a considerable amount of money. She might agree to let you take her out for lunch.
Or, if your friend gave you a gift certificate for a dinner and movie for two, he or she might be honored if you invited them to go along.
Actions speak louder than words but don’t take the place of them.
It’s important to tell the gift giver how much you appreciate the gift in verbal or written words.
It’s even better when you back it up with action. Spend some time with them. Do something special for them.
👋 Graceful Acceptance
It’s a humbling experience to be given a gift. For some people, it’s difficult to accept a present, especially if it’s not for Christmas, a birthday, or any specific occasion.
If you are the type that is more comfortable giving that getting, this is a perfect opportunity to learn how to gracefully accept the unexpected gift.
Try not to feel obligated to do anything but thank the giver and possibly find a creative way to show your appreciation…or not.
Simply letting the person know how much grateful you are is sometimes enough.
🧡 The Heart of the Matter
Along with thanking the person who surprised you with an unexpected gift, don’t forget to count your blessings.
You never want to take special people in your life for granted. They are few and far between. So be sure to let them know how much they are appreciated by doing one of the suggestions above or coming up with your own unique way of thanking them.
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