Addressing a card to a family can be a bit tricky, especially if you don’t know their last name. However, there are a few simple steps you can follow to make sure your card gets to the right people. First, try to find out the family’s last name. If you can’t find it, you can simply address the card to “The [Family Name] Family.” For example, you could write “The Smith Family” or “The Jones Family.”
If you know the family’s last name, you can address the card to “The [Last Name] Family.” For example, you could write “The Johnson Family” or “The Williams Family.” You can also include the family’s address on the card. If you don’t know the family’s address, you can simply write “USA” on the card. If you know the first names of one or more members of the family, you can include them on the card. For example, you could write “The Smith Family: John, Mary, and Bob.”
However, if you don’t know the first names of any of the family members, you can simply write “The [Last Name] Family.” Finally, make sure to include a return address on the card so that the family can contact you if they need to. You can write your return address on the back of the envelope or on a separate piece of paper that you include in the envelope. Including specific details, such as the names of family members or a reference to a shared experience, can create a more personal touch and make the recipients feel valued.
Addressing a Card to a Couple
Addressing a card to a couple can seem like a straightforward task, but there are a few key points to keep in mind to ensure proper etiquette.
Formal Addressing
For a formal card or invitation, use separate lines for each person’s name with their formal titles, followed by their last name. For example:
| Mr. John Smith Mrs. Jane Smith | |
|---|---|
| Dr. William Johnson Dr. Elizabeth Johnson#### Informal Addressing ####For informal cards, you can use the couple’s first names on a single line. Avoid using only one person’s name, as this can imply the other is not included. For example: | John and Jane Smith |
| John and Jane Smith | |
| William and Elizabeth Johnson | |
| Family Member | Formal Title |
| Father | Mr. [Father’s Last Name] |
| Mother | Mrs. [Mother’s Last Name] |
| Grandfather | Mr. [Grandfather’s Last Name] |
| Grandmother | Mrs. [Grandmother’s Last Name] |
| Brother | Mr. [Brother’s Last Name] |
| Sister | Ms. [Sister’s Last Name] |
| Aunt | Ms. [Aunt’s Last Name] |
| Uncle | Mr. [Uncle’s Last Name] |
| Cousin | Mr./Ms. [Cousin’s Last Name] |
| Family with Same Last Name | Family with Different Last Names |
| The Smith Family | The Jones-Davises |
| The Garcia Family | The Rodriguez-Chavez Family |
| The Patel Family | The Lee-Kim Family |
| Situation | Recommendation |
| One parent has remarried and the children have different last names. | Use both last names, separated by a hyphen. |
| The children spend time with both parents and have different last names. | Include both last names in the address. |
| The blended family has adopted a new child with a different last name. | Include all children in the address, regardless of their last name. |
| The [Family Name] Family | |
| [Parent 1’s Name] | |
| [Parent 2’s Name] | |
| [Stepchild 1’s Name] | |
| [Stepchild 2’s Name] | |
| [Other Children’s Names] | |
| Scenario | Sample Greeting |
| Both parents have custody of the child | “Happy Holidays to John, Jane, and the Smith children” |
| One parent has full custody | “Merry Christmas to John Smith and family” |
| Child has a stepparent | “Best wishes to Emily Green and family” |
| Format | Example |
| To the family of John Smith | To the Smith Family |
| To the Smith Family in memory of John Smith | To John Smith’s family |
| To the Johnson-Smith Family in memory of Sarah Johnson | To the Johnson-Smith family |
| Format | Example |
| Most Formal | To The Smith Family (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, John, Jane, and Mary) |
| Most Casual | To The Smith Family |
| Less Formal | To The Family Of Mr. and Mrs. Smith |
| Semi-Formal | To Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Family |
| Line 1 | The [Family Name] |
| Line 2 | [Street Address or P.O. Box] |
| Line 3 | [City, State, Zip Code] |