Help me address Christmas cards!

[SunD]

I made a poll just to be fun. :D

 

Okay, I want to send a card to my best friend and her family. Her last name is hyphenated. DH's and DD's are not. Let's say her DH is Bob Brown, DD is Ann Brown, and she's Mary Smith-Brown.

 

The Brown Family doesn't seem right because her last name isn't Brown, but that is the part they all share, so maybe it is correct. The Smith-Brown Family seems better because they're all either Smiths or Browns, but her DH and DD are not Smiths. That looks like it might be more appropriate for a blended family, where half are Smiths and half are Browns. And listing all their names would be just a bit much!

[Elinor Everywhere]

I made a poll just to be fun. :D

 

Okay, I want to send a card to my best friend and her family. Her last name is hyphenated. DH's and DD's are not. Let's say her DH is Bob Brown, DD is Ann Brown, and she's Mary Smith-Brown.

 

The Brown Family doesn't seem right because her last name isn't Brown, but that is the part they all share, so maybe it is correct. The Smith-Brown Family seems better because they're all either Smiths or Browns, but her DH and DD are not Smiths. That looks like it might be more appropriate for a blended family, where half are Smiths and half are Browns. And listing all their names would be just a bit much!

 

I have no idea. Also, it's tricky when the mom keeps her maiden name but the dad and kids share the same name. I've been just addressing it to "The Dad's Last Name Family", but not sure if that's right.

[EmilyinND]

I voted The Brown Family.

[Tigger]

Brown Family

 

Or

 

Mr. & Mrs. HIS FIRST NAME Brown & Family

[Sara in AZ]

I have two SIL's who kept their maiden names (not hyphenated with their husband's.) The kids have the husband's last name and I always address cards to the family with the last name of the husband and kids. If I send something to the SIL individually I will, of course, use her last name. I have not had either of them complain about this, so I guess it's okay. :001_smile:

[Tutor]

The Brown/ Smith-Brown Family

[Veritaserum]

The Brown/ Smith-Brown Family

 

That's what I would do.

[Starr]

The Brown/ Smith-Brown Family

 

This works too.

[Happy]

I'm tacky and I just write John and Jane and Anna and call it good.

 

Yep, me, too! But I don't consider it tacky. Quirky, maybe.

[JennyD]

The Brown/ Smith-Brown Family

 

That's what I do, too.

[Tree House Academy]

Ann Smith-Brown & Family

1234 Main Street

Madison, WI 12345

 

I would do that because SHE is the friend to whom you are sending the card...you are adding in her family for courtesy. Address the card specifically to her (unless you are close to the husband too).

Edited December 10, 2011 by Tree House Academy

[Ellie]

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Brown

 

And inside you write, "Hope all of you have a wonderful holiday!" or something similar.

 

IOW, the dd's name doesn't need to be included in the address.

[angela in ohio]

If she had just kept her own name, I would list them all out. But because she hyphenated, and so does have Brown as part of her name, I would go with Brown family. We know a lot of families with moms with their own or hyphenated names, and they all seem to have different preferences and levels of pickiness about it, so I also think it depends on the individual woman.

[Farrar]

I kept my name. And I couldn't care less how something is addressed to us. We can be "The DH's Last Name Family." Also, while it would definitely rub me the wrong way because that's just not how I roll, no matter what Emily Post says, I wouldn't let myself get actually annoyed about "Mr. and Mrs. DH." BUT... I know at least a couple of women who kept their names who get ticked off to high heaven if you were to address a card either of those ways. So... just saying.

[Dana]

I kept my name. And I couldn't care less how something is addressed to us. We can be "The DH's Last Name Family." Also, while it would definitely rub me the wrong way because that's just not how I roll, no matter what Emily Post says, I wouldn't let myself get actually annoyed about "Mr. and Mrs. DH." BUT... I know at least a couple of women who kept their names who get ticked off to high heaven if you were to address a card either of those ways. So... just saying.

 

I mostly agree with this.

 

You know your friend, so go with what you think she'd prefer.

I kept my name; my son has my husband's name.

I don't mind mail to HIS LAST NAME family.

I would be ticked at Mr & Mrs his first name his last name. It's the first name that is a problem for me. Mr & Mrs his last name wouldn't bug me.

 

I think Tree House Academy's suggestion is best though.

 

We do have fun with phone calls though. Anyone who asks for Mr MyLastName is automatically a telemarketer as is anyone asking for Mrs HisLastName :)

[Laura Corin]

I'd address it by their first names only.

 

Laura

[Krista in LA]

Brown Family

 

Or

 

Mr. & Mrs. HIS FIRST NAME Brown & Family

 

:iagree: Either of these would work.

[Bootsie]

Mr. Bob Brown, Ms. Mary Smith-Brown, and Family (or children)

 

or

 

Mr. Bob Brown, Ms. Mary Smith-Brow, and Ann

 

or if she is really the one that is your friend I would go with

 

Ms. Mary Smith-Brown and Family

 

We have this issue in our family--I use my maiden name and our kids have hyphenated names. So we have three different last names. We get a number of letters addressed "The Smith-Brown Family". That way it is listed the way that my kids are called, and includes both my husband's name and my name (but neither one just as we are called).

 

I don't mind when people put my husband's name (or my name) and family, but it does annoy me when people who KNOW intentionally decide that my name should be something else. I also find it particularly irritating when my in-laws send mail to Mr. Bob Brown, Mrs. Mary Smith-Brown, and Ann Brown. The hyphenate my name (which I do not) and refuse to hyphenate our children's names, even though it is their legal name.