Letter etiquette

[LyYenKhang]

Sorry, not sure if this goes in this sub-forum.

What is proper etiquette for writing an informal letter to a former teacher?

Is there an alternative to: 親愛的..... ? Something more "reverent"? I feel like this sounds a bit showy in my case, as I didn't really know my teacher that well and plus he is a lot older than me (I know him well enough to send a letter, just that I wasn't that close to him, so it may seem pretentious, but I don't know...)

And how should I sign the letter? My full family + middle & given name? Or just my family name and followed by 小生? (I am at least 4 decades his junior)

This is not that formal, just for a Christmas card.

Thank you!

[skylee]

Consider using 尊敬的X老師 at the beginning and simply 學生[your full name as how the teacher knew you]上 at the end.

I am not sure why you mentioned 小生.

[JenniferW]

I used to work in China, teaching English at university level, and am now retired, i.e. many decades older than my students. Several of my former students write to me - and they start with 亲爱的. At the end of emails they, and I, write surname + given name in Chinese. I only have one former student, someone I've subsequently spent a lot of time with, who uses just her given name when she writes to me.