Formal — to stranger
Cultural · Gift
先日は素敵なものをいただき、ありがとうございました。 — Thank you so much for the lovely gift the other day. (Cultural · Gift, Formal — to stranger, JLPT N4)
You
先日は素敵なものをいただき、ありがとうございました。
せんじつはすてきなものをいただき、ありがとうございました。
Thank you so much for the lovely gift the other day.
Romaji: Senjitsu wa suteki na mono o itadaki, arigatou gozaimashita. / Reply Romaji: Iie, tondemo gozaimasen. Yorokonde itadakete yokatta desu.
Reply
いいえ、とんでもございません。喜んでいただけてよかったです。
いいえ、とんでもございません。よろこんでいただけてよかったです。
Not at all. I'm so glad you liked it.
Gesture & etiquette
Make deep eye contact and bow at about 30 degrees when delivering this thanks. If in person, you may gently hold the item or refer to it by name ('the tea set was beautiful') to show you actually used or appreciated it.
Japanese gift-giving etiquette requires a verbal thank-you after receiving — ideally the next time you meet or in a message sent within a day or two. Failing to acknowledge a gift is considered particularly rude and damages the relationship.