Is it “and I” or “and me”?

My family and I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons. Those wishes, though, do not come from my family and I.

Confused? Let’s dig a bit deeper.

Many people seem to think the “and I” sounds more professional or more formal. It actually sounds very wrong in some cases.

Grammar lesson alert!

The “I” in the first sentence above is correct because it is the subject. In the second sentence, the phrase “my family and I” is incorrect because it follows the preposition “from.”

Okay, enough of that. Here’s a quick, simple way to remember which is correct. Remove the other person and the “and” to see if it sounds right.

I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons. My family and I offer those wishes.

Those wishes come from … I? No, the correct word here is “me.” Those wishes come from me. They come from my family and me.

So, the next time you want to sound professional or formal, remember to use the correct pronoun. Oh, there’s that grammar thing again. Don’t worry about the parts of speech. Just remember to use “I” or “me” where it is appropriate!