Every holiday season, too many people spend valuable time choosing the perfect card and stationery to send to loved ones—only to mar the effect by messing up the signature. Remember, when you sign a card from your whole family—for example, "The Smiths"—don’t add an apostrophe. In other words, signing off as "The Smith's" is a no-no.

Why Is an Apostrophe Wrong?

As apostrophe is used to form contractions—don't for do not—and possessives—Sally’s desk. Most people won't notice the gaffe or won’t care if they do. However, a few avid grammarians may spot the mistake, and it could rankle them. To send out mistake-free goodwill wishes for the season, practice the correct format for pluralizing your family name.

How to Make a Family Name Plural

To send greetings from your whole family, in most cases, simply add an "s," as in "The Johnsons." Add an “s” even if your name ends in "y." The plural form of “Murphy” is “Murphys,” not “Murphy's” or “Murphies.” 

However, if your name ends in "s," you add an "es" to the end of your name to pluralize it. For instance, if your name is Jones, sign your cards from "The Joneses," not "The Jones's."

Although some people seem convinced there’s a reason to use an apostrophe when pluralizing their name, there are no circumstances under which an apostrophe is appropriate for forming the plural of a family name.

If you need notecards or papers for holiday greetings, stop by Curio Press, a talented designer of custom stationery in Ferguson, MO. They serve customers throughout Greater St. Louis. In addition to producing customized and personalized stationery and envelopes, they sell gifts and stationery accessories and supplies. Visit their website to learn more about this locally owned business, or call (314) 499-6866 with questions about pricing. You can also shop online.