When Giving A Gift?

Question

I know it is really soon to ask this, but I am trying to get everything I would like to get before everything turns to a christmas theme. This year I will be sending a package of about 10 presents to my friend and her family. I have never talked to them in person, but we all know about each other. On these gifts I would like to make sure they know which goes to whom. My questions are how would a German person address the gift for the parents (mr. and mrs. ______ or the parents, etc...preferably in german)? A brother and his wife (would I put his name and then wife)? Also another is for another brother and his daughter, how should I address that gift?

Please help me. I would like to say what ever possible in German and also include "Happy Holidays and have a great New Years." Thank you for the help.

Answer 1

Pico, it sounds like you would like to make a good impression...I would stick to English, there are too many ways to s***w up the german language for a beginner, and I know you don't want to look ignorant...

Answer 2

Hello,

you  adress the parents with  Herr und Frau ___.

To address the gift for the brother you write first his name and then her name, like  Christian und Susanne (for example)

You should  address the other brother and his daughter, like you do it with the other brother and his wife.

If you want to wish "Happy Holidays and have a great New Year" you say Ich wünsche Euch/Ihnen (Ihnen is more formal, but as you said that you know everything about them, I would suggest you use Euch)  frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches und gesundes neues Jahr!

I hope you understand what I mean.

Answer 3

I don't know are you making for each separate packages, but for the parents and for others you can say (Mr. Herr and last name...... or Mrs. Frau and last name..... and your friends you just use their first names.

For the Christmas card you can write in German Language:

Wuensche allen ein schoenes Weihnachtsfest und ein gutes neues Jahr 2008.

Than your name that's all....

Have fun .....

Answer 4

For the parents I would use their second name with the honorific Herr/ Frau, with the others it depends on how well you know them, the married brothers I would address with their full name, same for the wife, even if you are giving them a joint present. If the daughter is under 15 you can address her with her first name, otherwise both first and second, as for the others.

"Frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes Neues Jahr" is the traditional Christmas/New Year greeting, Germans don't have any politically correct hang-ups about calling Christmas "holidays", most of them rather disapprove of that kind of thing.