Here’s How To Properly Punctuate Those Christmas Cards This Year
Here is your yearly PSA and friendly reminder: Please use proper punctuation when filling out your Christmas cards this Holiday season.
It’s that time of year. You put out the word, maybe on social media, that you need everyone’s addresses, so you can send them Christmas Cards.
You go to the store, or maybe shop online, and spend hours picking out the perfect cards. Maybe you opt for some of those photo cards, the ones that show your happy family in front of a beautiful Christmas tree.
Then you sit down to add that personal message, and you butcher basic grammar.
I know, it can be confusing, but there are just a few rules that you need to follow when addressing those lovely Holiday cards.
Here is what you need to know.
You do NOT use an apostrophe to show that something is plural — meaning more than one. You use an apostrophe to show possession or to form a contraction.
So, when you are addressing your cards, simply finish the last name with an “S” or an “ES.”
But, how do you know which one to use? It is pretty easy.
Most of the time, you will simply add an “S” to the end of the family name. Examples would be: Morings, Smiths, Joyces, and Lees.
Here is your exception. If the last name ends in “S,” “X,” “Z,” “CH,” or “SH,” you would end the names in “ES.” Examples are: Joneses, Birches, and Sanchezes.
Of course, there is another thing you need to know. If the last name ends in “CH,” but makes the sound of “K,” you simply add an “S” to the end of the name. Examples to pay attention to: Reichs, and Klimbachs.
Finally, if a name ends in “Y,” simply add an “S.” Do NOT drop the “Y,” and add an “IES.” Example: Murphys, and Byerlys.
It really is simple, once you get the rules down.
Here is another tip for you. Use a good pen. Get one that doesn’t smear or bleed through the page. THIS pen is said to glide across paper like ice, and it will make your Christmas Card task easier.