How to address family with different last names on holiday card?

[Anonymous]

I feel like I have to ask this every year.

Mom and Dad are married and have kids together. Mom kept her name but kids have Dad's last name, not hyphenated or anything.

Is "The Smith/Jones Family" acceptable?

TIA.

[Anonymous]

I do “the smith/jones family”

[Anonymous]

I do the Smith/Jones Family.

[Anonymous]

We've got that arrangement of names in our family and cards tend to come addressed like that. It's always been acceptable to us.

[Anonymous]

The Smith/Jones family is fine OR you can list all their names (Mary Smith, Tom Jones, Claire & David Jones)

[Anonymous]

Yes. Or Larla Smith and Larlo Jones and Family

[Anonymous]

How about just adding everyone's first names?

Mary, John, Maria and Jose

[Anonymous]

I do "The Smith/Jones Family". We also do "Jane Smith and Family" if we really only one adult in the family and know they have different last names.

[Anonymous]

This is how my family is set up and any of the options people have listed so far would be fine for me. I am not picky.

The only unacceptable option for me is to simply ignore the fact that I have a different name and do something like "The Jones Family" (if I"m the Smith) or "Mr. and Mrs. Jones and Family" or whatever. When I get stuff addressed that way, I do feel kind of erased.

Also, something a lot of people may not realize is that my kids have my last name, but as their middle names. So it's not actually accurate to say the kids all have their dad's name -- they may have their mom's name or another family name, it's just not their surname.

[Anonymous]

I go with the "/"

[Anonymous]

You guys

[Anonymous]

OP again. I forgot I have an even trickier one.

Mom and kids are hyphenated Smith-Jones. Dad just has his original last name Jones but didn't add the hyphen.

Is Smith/Jones still acceptable here? Or do I do the Smith-Jones Family with a hypen instead, but that sort of ignores dad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. I forgot I have an even trickier one.

Mom and kids are hyphenated Smith-Jones. Dad just has his original last name Jones but didn't add the hyphen.

Is Smith/Jones still acceptable here? Or do I do the Smith-Jones Family with a hypen instead, but that sort of ignores dad?

In that case I do "Smith Jones Family" and allow them to either think the lack of hyphen was on purpose or by accident! Either way bases covered and no one really insulted.

I also privately think dad is a jerk for not just hyphenating his name like everyone else is. They all have to take his name but he can't add his wife's name? Come on, dude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. I forgot I have an even trickier one.

Mom and kids are hyphenated Smith-Jones. Dad just has his original last name Jones but didn't add the hyphen.

Is Smith/Jones still acceptable here? Or do I do the Smith-Jones Family with a hypen instead, but that sort of ignores dad?

In that case I do "Smith Jones Family" and allow them to either think the lack of hyphen was on purpose or by accident! Either way bases covered and no one really insulted.

I also privately think dad is a jerk for not just hyphenating his name like everyone else is. They all have to take his name but he can't add his wife's name? Come on, dude.

:asses heavily spiked eggnog to 09:45:: YESSS!

[Anonymous]

As a mom who kept her maiden name, and whose DH and kids have the same last name, Smith/Jones is fine.

For the hyphenated scenario, I'd go with Smith Jones (and yes, think the dad is a bit of a douche for not hyphenating, too).