When creating printable Christmas thank you cards, making grammatical errors could throw off the meaning you want to convey. If your words are misplaced, an otherwise good card could lose its charm. Before mailing your cards, you must take the time to read through them and ensure that there are no grammatical mistakes. Some of the most common errors include the following:
The Sign Off
Capitalizing your sign off is obvious. However, you may be confused if you wish to add another word. After a Sign-off like ‘Sincerely,’ you don’t need to capitalize on the other word. Think of your closing as a sentence and only capitalize the first word. Examples include ‘Warmest wishes,’ and ‘Lots of love.’
Get Your Family Name Right
Nothing is more embarrassing than misspelling your own family name. At the end of your Christmas thank you card, simply add an ‘s’ to your family name. If the name already has an ‘s’ or ‘z’ at the end, you may add an ‘es.’ Examples include ‘Warm regards from the Joneses’ or ‘Happy holidays from the Smiths.’
Capitalize Proper Pronouns
Do not forget to capitalize proper nouns like Christmas. However, you should not capitalize on ‘merry.’ A common mistake that many people make when sending out their thank you Christmas cards is capitalizing both words. It is only okay to capitalize the word ‘merry’ if it comes at the beginning of a sentence.
Its Vs. It’s
This is one of the most common mistakes in thank you cards. ‘Its’ is possessive while ‘it’s’ stands for it is. Double-check to ensure that you are using the right term.
Winter or winter
When mentioning seasons, you may be wondering whether it is appropriate to capitalize. The answer depends on where in the sentence the word appears. If it is at the beginning of the sentence, it should always be capitalized. In other parts of the sentences, it should not be capitalized unless it is a title.
Misspelling the Recipient’s Name
If the recipient of your Christmas thank you card has a difficult name, you can easily misspell it. It is not only embarrassing but may also be offensive to some people. Do your research to ensure that you get it right.
Happy New Years Vs. Happy New Year’s
Both happy new years and happy New Year’s are wrong. The correct spelling is happy New Year.
Pay Attention to Regional Variations
When sending out Christmas thank you cards to a different region, pay attention to variations in spelling, phrasing, and greetings. Implementing the proper regional variations demonstrates your thoughtfulness.
Typing and grammar errors may seem harmless, but they undo all the effort you invested in your Christmas thank you card. Before sending out your cards, proofread them. Reading them out loud increases your chances of catching errors. Alternatively, you may ask someone else to read through the card for you. When preparing Christmas thank you cards online, use a spell check tool to catch errors.