Q&A for How to Address an Envelope to a Family

That depends. If there are young children in the house, send them an age-appropriate card—it'll make them feel grown up. If the home is filled with parents and adult children, you can just address the card to "The Smith Family." You could also send individual cards to family members if they don't live together.

"Et al" is very businesslike; it's more for a company president and his assorted associates. Go with "To Mr. John & Mrs. Jill McGuffin and Family" or "To Mr. & Mrs. John McGuffin and Family."

No. It might technically be more appropriate to address the envelope to Mr. and Mrs. Jones, but a family can consist of only a couple.

Yes, as long as the letter/card is to the whole family. If it's only to a couple of people, just write their individual names. For example, if it's to "Margaret" and "Brian," write "Margaret and Brian Kelly".

Yes, that's fine, though it's less formal, and most people would just write out the full name.

Perhaps simply saying to the person, "I'm sorry, but I do not wish to be called by that name anymore. I go by (insert name). I would rather you call me that than my maiden name."

Yes, it's perfectly fine.

"Dear [Family Name]" would suffice in this situation.

Typically, the formal way (i.e. for wedding invitations) of addressing an envelope to an unmarried couple who live together (if the letter/invitation/document is intended for them both) is to write their names on two separate lines (the first two lines), followed by the address that they share.

Address it as, for example, "John Smith and Jane Doe," recognizing their separate names.

If the wife is the doctor, then you would address the envelope to "Dr. Linda Smith and Mr. John Smith." If the husband is a doctor, then you would address the envelope to "Dr. and Mrs. John Smith."

I am sure that there will be different conventions in different countries. In Canada most married women prefer to receive mail addressed in their first name, and their husband's last name. Of course it is entirely possible that she did not change her name when they married. In that case, the address can safely be made to Ms. (wife's first and last name).

You would write "Dr. Jane Kelly and Mr. John Kelly." Her professional degree comes first.

Add "and family" after the couple's names, or you could write something like "The Cooper Family."

Yes, that is proper.

That's a good way to do it, or if you know the parents' names, you can address them by name.

If that is an apartment or suite number, it goes at the end of the street line. For example, "John Smith, 123 Main Street #10, Sometown, Anystate, 54321."

Yes, if you like the informality, that would be fine.

"John Doe III and Jane Doe" or "Mr. John Doe III and Mrs. Jane Doe."

That would be okay, or just "The Jones Family."

Address as follows: "Sarah, John and Christopher Smith."

For example, "The Smith/Walters/Henson Family."

Yes. For example, "La familia Montez."

Yes, that is fine if you don't need to be formal.

"Mrs. John Smith," "Mrs. Mary Smith" or "Mary Smith."

For example, "Stan Jones and Ellen Green."

Yes. The return address is the address to which you would like to have the mail returned if there is a delivery problem.

Write it as: "Maria, Eric and Avery Connor" on the first line.

You can address it as: "The Smiths and Browns."

You could address it to them in care of their parents, or you could simply address it to them and hope they have filed a change-of-address form with the post office so that it can be forwarded to them (or hope the parents will forward it or notify them).