So has this ever happened to anyone? I got one of my holiday cards back in the mail, but something was off about it:

Photo: https://imgur.com/bHt0AmC

I don't know how the mail machines work exactly but somehow this one got cancelled on the back of the envelope.... where there are zero stamps... and then the mailman delivered, not returned, it to the recipient named "Return" at my address.

When I asked about it at the post office today the guy rebuked me for not writing TO above the recipient's name and for not putting my return address in the top left corner on the front with FROM. Which, I KNOW is standard, but in this age of snail mail revival and mail art I see a lot of people don't. I assumed it was common sense that the address on the front with stamps was the TO, and the address on the back labeled 'return' was the FROM, but when I pointed that out the guy said nobody reads 'that.'

Anyway, just wondering if this has happened to any other snailmailers out there. And also curious about how you feel about envelope mail art. Some of the pieces I see online are so beautiful as works of art, but I look at all those stamps and creative ways of writing the address and can't help but wonder if it makes the mail person's job harder. I hold back from very adventurous decorating just because I don't want to risk it not being delivered.

I guess now I'll also have to make sure the TO is labeled clearly. :D