So you may have already picked out your photos for your holiday card or started working on your annual family update letter to send out, but have you thought about how to properly address these seasonal items? Or double checked your grammar on wishing someone happiness in the new year?

We want to help you make Emily Post proud, so here are a few tips:

  • Address men as “Mr.” “Miss” should be used for unmarried women or girls younger than 18. “Mrs.” is the correct title for a married woman,” and “Ms.” can be used for any woman, regardless of her marital status.
  • If a couple is married, an example of the traditional format to address the envelope is Mr. and Mrs. John Smith. If she goes by her maiden name, which for example is Johnson, address it to Mr. John Smith and Ms. Jane Johnson.
  • DO NOT use an apostrophe when making last names plural. For names that DO NOT end in –s, –z, –ch, –sh or –x, just add –s to the end of the name to make it plural. For example, correct plural names would be “The Hunters,” “The Frys” or “The Smiths.” For names that DO end in –s, –z, –ch, –sh or –x, add –es. For example, the last name Jones will become “The Joneses.”
  • If the card is going to someone with children, you can address the card to the family, such as “The Smith Family,” “The Fox Family” or “The Batchelor Family.”
  • Make sure to use correct spelling and grammar on your holiday card! It’s Happy New Year and Season’s Greetings (not Happy New Year’s or Seasons Greetings).

Happy Addressing!