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January 10, 2025

3 Ways to Celebrate Your Employees in the New Year

As we ring in the New Year, now the perfect time to show your team how much you value their contributions. Celebrating employees isn’t just about boosting morale; it’s about fostering a culture of appreciation that drives engagement and teamwork throughout the year. Here are three simple but impactful ways to celebrate your employees as you start the New Year.

1. Write Handwritten Notes

In a world dominated by emails and instant messages, the personal touch of a handwritten note stands out. A few heartfelt sentences acknowledging an employee’s unique contributions or personal growth can make a lasting impression.

Handwritten notes are a thoughtful, low-cost way to express gratitude, and show employees you took the time to genuinely appreciate their hard work. Leave these notes on their desks, mail them to remote workers, or present them at a team meeting to make the moment extra special. Check out PaperDirect’s collection of beautiful thank-you cards!

2. Hold a Kickoff Event

Start the year with energy and excitement by organizing a kickoff event. This could be as simple as an in-office breakfast or as elaborate as a team-building retreat. Use the event to celebrate the team’s achievements from the previous year while setting a positive tone for the months ahead.

Kickoff events are also an excellent opportunity to outline company goals and inspire employees by sharing the bigger picture. Incorporating fun activities, awards, or even a motivational speaker can make the event memorable and meaningful. The goal is to create an environment where employees feel valued and energized for the year ahead.

3. Create a Recognition Board in a Common Space

A recognition board in a shared area is a simple yet effective way to celebrate employees all year round. Dedicate a physical board in the office, or a digital space for remote teams, where coworkers can post shout outs, thank-you notes, and highlight accomplishments.

Supply a nearby cabinet with fun letter paper, thank-you cards, and invitations so your employees will never run out of something positive to put on the board. Visible and interactive recognition keeps the spirit of appreciation alive daily, and creates a culture where everyone feels seen and valued.

Final Thoughts

Celebrating your employees in the New Year doesn’t have to be complicated or costly. Thoughtful gestures like handwritten notes, a fun kickoff event, or an ongoing recognition board can make a significant impact. By prioritizing employee appreciation, you’ll build a stronger, more motivated team ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead.

PaperDirect has the products you need for employee recognition, and so much more! With the best selection of employee recognition supplies, to high-quality and cost-effective stationery solutions, it’s no wonder why businesses across America choose us for their employee celebrations year after year.

November 11, 2016

Business Thank You Messages: Examples for Christmas

business thank you messages

This holiday season, you should absolutely plan on thanking the people who worked with you this year. Assuming you want to continue doing business into the next year and keep the mutually beneficial relationship going strong, a few select words is a simple gesture that will leave them feeling appreciated and humbled.

Take the time to do it right and end the year with business thank you messages that will have your customers and partners excited to continue working with you next year. Here are some ready-to-use examples.

Like it or not, holiday-specific greetings can be seen as controversial because they’re viewed as somewhat exclusive. Depending on which industry you are in or which customer/partner you’re trying to thank, it might not matter and you can just “Merry Christmas” the season away. In other cases, an equally festive “Happy Holidays” might be in order. Below are some examples of both, so use your best judgment and you shouldn’t have any problems.

Fun and festive holiday card for clients

Business Thank You Messages For Clients

Holiday cards geared toward your clients can be either traditional or more whimsical or modern. Choose a design that you and your company like, and also make a big impression on your clients.

  • Without you, Christmas Wouldn’t Be Very Merry. Thanks So Much For Everything!
  • Sending You a Heartfelt Thanks and Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays!
  • This year, your patronage made all the difference. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we hope to see you soon! Merry Christmas From All of Us at ________.
  • Thanks For Everything This Year! Here’s Wishing You Happy Holidays and a Great New Year!
Holiday Card with traditional artwork

Business Thank You Messages For Partners

Your holiday message to your partners should be a little more serious than a card you send to your clients. However, don’t be too stuffy! Choose a card that complements any of the message ideas below and also conveys a business-like style.

  • Thanks For Helping Make Your Business Our Business This Year
  • Thanks For a Great Year and Best Wishes For a Productive New Year
  • Thanks for everything! We can’t wait to continue thriving in the New Year!
  • Thanks so much for a productive year! We hope to continue helping make our success your success into the New Year.
  • Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and most of all, thank you for your partnership. Looking forward to keeping things rolling next year.

More than anything, it’s important that your business thank you messages simply be genuine. You know best how to address your customers and partners (it’s why they came to you in the first place, right?). If you’re true to yourself and your business, you shouldn’t have any problems finding the right words! If you’re ready to start spreading holiday cheer, shop PaperDirect for eye-catching holiday greeting cards today!

November 6, 2013

Thank You Note Etiquette for Christmas Gifts to the Company

Scripty Thank You NoteCards by PaperDirect

At Christmas time, it’s not uncommon for clients and vendors to send presents to the companies they worked with over the past year. Although your business might have been the one providing the services to the client, it’s important to say “thank you” after receiving a gift. According to manners expert Emily Post, thank you note etiquette dictates that you send a note any time you receive a gift from someone who isn’t a close friend, especially if you aren’t able to say thanks in person.

Do: Write the Note as Soon as Possible

Vintage Elegance Specialty Thank You NoteCards by PaperDirect

It’s ideal to write out a thank you note for a Christmas gift as soon as you can. Try to write the note the same day, or the next day at the latest. Putting off writing the note means you’re likely to forget to do it. If you’re swamped with end-of-the-year work during the holiday season, have an employee write the note. Read and approve the note before it’s sent.

Don’t: Use a Form Letter

Depending on how many gifts your company receives at Christmas, it can be tempting to write the same thank you note over and over. Doing so will save time, but it will also make your clients and other gift-givers feel that you don’t actually appreciate the presents.

Customize each note, stating the name of the gift-giver and the item they gave. You can describe how your business will use the gift or simply express gratitude that the person took the time to think of your company. Write the notes by hand on Christmas note cards for an extra personal touch.

Do: Send an Actual Note

Holiday Holly NoteCards  by PaperDirect

In the era of email and text messages, sending an actual, paper note seems a little outdated. While it’s okay to call or email the gift-giver right away to say thanks, it’s also good thank you note etiquette to follow up with an actual card. A physical note lets the gift-giver know that you appreciate his or her thoughtfulness and that you hope to continue to do business with them in the coming year.

PaperDirect has the supplies you need to get ready for the Christmas gift-giving season. The site makes it easy to order thank you cards and other Christmas stationery online.

January 14, 2013

Wedding Thank You Card Sample Wording

Thanks Gold Embossed Thank You NoteCards by PaperDirectEvery bride (and groom) must write (yes, with your hand) thank you notes for gifts they received. Despite the fact that most people communicate electronically via email, text message and social media, expressing gratitude using any of these media is simply unacceptable. As a newly married couple, you must share the responsibility of handwriting thank you notes to each and every person who gave you a gift. By taking the time to hand write a wedding thank you card, you have shown your gift givers that you really do appreciate their kindness and generosity.

If you are not experienced with writing thank you notes, they really are very simple and don’t have to be long-winded at all. Proper wedding thank you card wording requires that you thank the sender for a specific gift. It is important to be specific when thanking the gift giver because if you’re not specific, the gift giver may feel as though you are just writing impersonal thank you notes and that you really don’t remember their gift at all. Try something like this:Elegant Thank You Specialty NoteCards by PaperDirect

Dear Aunt Jean and Uncle Jack,

“Thank you so much for the beautiful wine decanter. Greg and I are looking forward to sharing our first bottle of wine as a married couple using the elegant decanter you chose for us.”

It is also suggested to include a sentence or two about how the gift will be used. Proper wedding thank you card etiquette also states that when you are given a gift of cash (or check), that you should not mention the specific amount in your thank note. Instead, write something like this:

“Thank you for the generous gift and joining us in celebration of our marriage. We are so excited to be able to add to the savings for our new home!”

Willow Specialty Thank You NoteCards by PaperDirectIn addition to the proper wording, be sure you address the gift giver properly by name and title, if applicable. For example, if the gift is from your aunt and her boyfriend, then you must address the thank you card to acknowledge both your aunt and her boyfriend. It is important to be specific when thanking the gift giver because if you’re not specific, the gift giver may feel as though you are just writing impersonal thank you notes and that you really don’t remember their gift at all.

If you’re recently married, be sure to order your wedding thank you cards online from PaperDirect!

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