I spent Christmas with the Smiths. vs I spent Christmas with the Smith's.

"I spent Christmas with the Smiths" is the proper phrasing in English. The first phrase is correct because it uses the plural form of the last name "Smith" to indicate spending time with the Smith family. The second phrase is incorrect because it incorrectly uses the possessive form "Smith's" instead of the plural form.

Explained by Gregg
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: February 22, 2025 • 3962 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"I spent Christmas with the Smiths."

This phrase is used to indicate spending time with a family or group of people with the last name "Smith." The word "Smiths" is the plural form of the last name.

Examples:

I spent Christmas with the Smiths last year.
Do you know if we are spending Christmas with the Smiths this year?
She always enjoys spending holidays with the Smiths.
They invited us to spend Christmas with the Smiths.
We had a great time spending Christmas with the Smiths.

Show examples from the web [+]

You don't have to die with the Smiths.
You spent Christmas with Annika Cassar in a small Maltese village called Bidnija.
Spent Christmas with Jen's sister and her family in Orlando.
You spent Christmas with Idi Amin?
You spent Christmas with me and Meredith.
I told them you spent Christmas with me.
I spent Christmas Day over there, the Powell Estate, with this... family.
The Dent baby is with the Smiths and the Smith baby is with the Dents.
About Christmas, I've been thinking it's time I spent Christmas...
This is the Simons' house with the smith y to the right.
And then last night... the Smiths.
And it's the McMillans, not the Smiths.
That's Morrissey, like the lead singer in the smiths.
It was a mythological horn of plenty forged by Seppo the Smith.
I spent Christmas alone in the Hamptons, drinking scotch and throwing firecrackers at Billy Joel's dog!
I spent a bit of time with John Smith.
The D.A. wants to find the payoff from the Smiths.
No, Rudy's guilty, maybe not of all three, but he definitely killed the Smiths.
You're the son of Seng-Pu the Smith.
The only son of Seng-Pu the Smith.

This phrase is incorrect in English.

"I spent Christmas with the Smith's."

Show examples from the web [+]

You spent Christmas with Annika Cassar in a small Maltese village called Bidnija.
Spent Christmas with Jen's sister and her family in Orlando.
You spent Christmas with Idi Amin?
You spent Christmas with me and Meredith.
I told them you spent Christmas with me.
You don't have to die with the Smiths.
I spent Christmas Day over there, the Powell Estate, with this... family.
The Dent baby is with the Smiths and the Smith baby is with the Dents.
About Christmas, I've been thinking it's time I spent Christmas...
This is the Simons' house with the smith y to the right.
I spent Christmas alone in the Hamptons, drinking scotch and throwing firecrackers at Billy Joel's dog!
What the Smith's really use to fertilize their lawn?
Yeah. We spent Christmas on the beach.
The 3 of us have never spent Christmas apart.
We haven't spent Christmas together in years.
We could've all spent Christmas on our own, but we have chosen each other.
We were five years old, and we spent Christmas all alone.
My kids spent Christmas in a Holiday Inn... ...and Santa brought them each a bag of M&M's.
I love celebrating Christmas with kids.
Go spend Christmas with your daughter.

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I spent Christmas with the Smiths. vs I spent Christmas with the Smith's.

"I spent Christmas with the Smiths."

"I spent Christmas with the Smith's."

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