DEAR MISS MANNERS: We have a niece who addresses all of her mail as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, rather than Mr. and Mrs. John Smith. This greatly upsets us, and her mother-in-law. We feel it does not show any respect for her elders.
Are we wrong to feel this way? Has the proper way to address an envelope changed?
GENTLE READER: Oh, please. She is using honorifics -- titles of respect, which are in rare use nowadays. So is writing letters at all, for that matter. Miss Manners begs you to explain this to those relatives before the young lady reasonably concludes that there is no use trying to please them.
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)