Thank you notes have sadly become a thing of legend. With email becoming our prime mode of communication, it’s easy to default to typing a message instead of writingit out. But there’s just something special about receiving a handwritten note in the mail. So if you want to show your relatives just how much you appreciate them, I propose we bring the thank you cards back on trend! As you watch the holidays approach with the expectation of gifts and hospitality, DIY these 13 thank you cards that will get you ahead of the gifting game.

Stamps are a wonderful and easy way to decorate a card. Whether you buy a set of blank ones to decorate or make your own from scratch, your loved one will enjoy finding a lovely stamped card in their mailbox. (via Clear and Simple Stamps)

Are you more of a dyeing person? Then you should know that you can totally dip dye paper. Make a set of matching stationary as your thank you cards this year… and make a set for each of your family members too. (via Poppytalk)

No one says no to a little sparkle. Using gold paint and glitter to make these gilded notecards will be a winning idea, especially as a thank you for all the wonderful Christmas presents in store! (via Camille Styles)

Get the kids in on the card-making fun with this notecard DIY. Let them use their brushes to splatter paint all across your cards. Once dry, fold in half, write on the clean side and mail to a friend. You can make different colors to match the time of year. (via Elizabeth Anne Designs)

Washi tape is totally one of the best new crafting mediums. For this card, cut out your thank you and place a washi tape striped piece of paper on the inside. The words in front will suddenly get a big bang. (via Simply Kelly Designs)

Before you throw away your fabric scraps, have you ever thought about decoratingcards withthem? Using a simple stitch on your sewing machine, you can carefully attach the pretty fabric to the front of the card. They would make lovely Christmas gifts too. (via A Beautiful Mess)

I couldn’t leave out a watercolor thank you note! By using your best calligraphyon a white piece of paper with liquid frisketfirst, you can watercolor the heck out of that card and in the end, still have a lovely white word or phrase on the front. Brilliant. (via Damask Love)

Speaking of watercolors, painting with them make a pretty picture as well! Try a geometric pattern or something a little more bold that will become fridge-worthy until next Christmas. (via Calico Skies)

Fabric isn’t the only thing you can sew onto a thank you card. Break out your stash of embroidery thread and get stitching over a pencil drawn pattern. This card decorating method can take as long or as short as you like, depending on how complicated your pattern is. (via Flax and Twine)

Isn’t this banner card adorable? The little flags are made from washi tape! You can change up their pattern with the occasion. I’m thinking a set for birthdays and a set for Christmas and a set for spring. (via Decorator’s Notebook)

Yes, we’re thinking about watercolors again. But a watercolored card is more a work of art than mail. Careful though. When your recipient gets their gorgeous card in the mail, they’re going to ask you where you got them… which means you’ll need to make extra for gifting. (via Almost Makes Perfect)

I’m kinda in love with this marbled stationary and you should be too. Just steal your man’s foamy shaving cream, grab your food coloring and get to making a set of thank you cards like no one’s ever seen. (via Honestly WTF)

You ought to know by now that every paper crafting post ends with a printable. Some people really are too busy to make their own thank you notes, but they would still like to send them. Thank you Internet for having tons of printable thank you beauties so even the busiest of us can send mail. (via Delia Creates)