These days, we rarely send letters or physical cards. It’s a shame, really, since there’s surely no greater daily pick-me-up than receiving something through the mail with your name on it, and a nice message inside. As such, few of us now know how to properly and formally address an envelope.
To learn how to address an envelope to a whole family, read our tutorials below to find the method of addressing that works best for you, the family, and the situation.
For all other information, and if you have further questions regarding envelopes and addressing them, please see our FAQ section toward the bottom of the page.
Table of Contents
How to address an envelope to a family (Method One)
Address the envelope as so:
The [Surname] Family
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City/Town/Village
State
Country
Zip/Post Code
For example: The Jones Family
How to address an envelope to a family (Method Two)
Address the envelope as so:
The [Plural Surname]
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City/Town/Village
State
Country
Zip/Post Code
For example: The Joneses
Note: Don’t fall into the dreaded apostrophe trap here by writing “The Jones’s”. An apostrophe implies ownership and is grammatically incorrect in this situation. Most family names/surnames can be pluralized simply by adding an ‘s’ on the end. If the family name ends in an ‘s’, however, then add ‘es’ instead.
How to address an envelope to a family (Method Three)
Address the envelope as so:
Mr. and Mrs. [Surname]
and Family
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City/Town/Village
State
Country
Zip/Post Code
For example: Mr and Mrs Jones and Family
Note: You can use ‘and Children’ instead of ‘and Family’ if you like. The choice is yours.
How to address an envelope to a family (Method Four)
Address the envelope as so:
Mr. and Mrs. [Surname]
[Given Name 1], [Given Name 2], [Given Name 3]
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City/Town/Village
State
Country
Zip/Post Code
For example: Mr and Mrs Jones, Emma, Peter, Jack
Note: This method is useful when you want to mention everyone in the family’s names, rather than just ‘children’ or ‘family’, but you also want to imply that the envelope is for the parents to open.
And there you have it! Four different ways to address an envelope to a family. If you have any questions, or would like some more help, why not check out our FAQ section below. Happy writing!
FAQs
Where should you put the stamp on an envelope?
Once you’ve addressed your envelope correctly, it’s time to attach a stamp. You could always take your letter, postcard or envelope to the post office and ask them to mail it out for you First or Second Class. In this case, the server at the post office will attach the stamp for you and you won’t have to worry about it.
However, if you have a book of stamps at home, then it’s easier to attach the stamp to the envelope yourself and mail it by putting it into your local letterbox/mailbox. To do so, simply peel the stamp from the book (or lick the back of the stamp if you have an old fashioned stamp to use) and stick it to the envelope, in portrait, the right way up, in the top-right corner of the envelope.
How should you address an envelope to a single recipient?
Above, we’ve covered all of the various ways you can address an envelope to an entire family, from casual to formal, with emphasis on the parents or children to emphasis on the whole family. But the question remains: how do you address an envelope to a single person?
Well, the answer is simple: just about any way you want! If you want to be formal about it, of course, then the best way to address an envelope to a single person is to use their preferred title and their full name.
For example, if their name is Rosa Cruz, and they use the gender-neutral title Mx, then address your envelope to:
Mx. Rosa Cruz
[Address]
You don’t have to put a full-stop/period after the title, but it is traditional to do so, to show that the title is an abbreviation.
Alternatively, of course, you could address the envelope in any number of other ways. The most important part of addressing an envelope is ensuring that you get the address correct. After that you can use just about any name you want, provided you’re sure the recipient will understand it’s for them.
Will the envelope still reach them if I put a fake name?
As we’ve just touched on briefly in the FAQ above, yes: you can be sure that the envelope will still get to the desired recipient even if you don’t use their proper/actual name. In other words, provided you address the envelope to the correct address, you can use any personal name above this address which you think the recipient might like or find funny. Just make sure it’s not so abstract that they’ll think it’s for someone else and not open it.
Which is the best method for addressing an envelope to a family?
We described lots of different methods for addressing an envelope to an entire family above. But which is the best way of addressing an envelope to a family? Well, the answer is subjective, and thus there is no single best answer. Depending on the situation, the best method for addressing an envelope to a family changes.
For example, if you’re sending a Festive Greetings card and wish the whole family to see and read it, then it’s a good idea to use either Method One or Method Two from our tutorials above. This way, no matter who receives the envelope at the address, they’ll know it contains something for the whole family.
On the other hand, if you wish the contents of the envelope to be primarily geared toward one member of the family first, then we suggest you use Method Three from our tutorials above. This way, whoever receives the envelope at the intended address will know that, whilst its contents may eventually be seen by everyone, it should first of all be opened by the primary addressee.
At the end of the day, we suggest you use whichever method above feels right for you, for the family you’re sending the envelope to, and the situation you’re sending it for.
