"Greetings" as iconic salutation from draft board? Who else used/uses it?

[Leo_Bloom]

First part of query: at least to my ears, it was a sort-of standard joke that a letter beginning with “greetings” was news from the draft board.

Was the salutation widely used? I know it’s alternatives are figuring out Mr. and Mrs. (before “Ms.”), and is a hell of a lot simple, and To Whom It May Concern has its own vibe.

Has anyone come across it nowadays? I ask because I am emailing back and forth with a software support division–a particular person at this point–and it clearly is part of their template. Just looks odd.
ETA: Besides newly landed outer space aliens.

[Common_Tater]

I brought that up in conversation with a Vietnam veteran and he said it was actually “Greeting”, no plural, FWIW.

[John_Bredin]

Not exactly the same thing but similar: various official documents, including warrants, certificates, and diplomas, begin with “To all to whom these presents come, greetings” or something similar.

[Tom_Tildrum]

@Common_Tater

I brought that up in conversation with a Vietnam veteran and he said it was actually “Greeting”, no plural, FWIW.

Money-saving measure.

[Spoons]

@John_Bredin

Not exactly the same thing but similar: various official documents, including warrants, certificates, and diplomas, begin with “To all to whom these presents come, greetings” or something similar.

It certainly began the text of Magna Carta. From the translation here:

JOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and to all his officials and loyal subjects, Greeting.

[Melbourne]

WWII, order to report for induction (so at this stage, you are already registered and had your physical examination) http://www.808th.com/documents/drafted.htm

“The President of the United States
To <first name> <middle name> <last name>
Order number <nnnnn>
Greeting”

So that was a greeting, from the President, to you. I’ve also read "“Greeting, neighbour” as an expression. Unfortunately, when I google that I just get lots of information about greeting your neighbour. The best I could find was “Greeting, friend” in a “fantasy” story from 2003. http://www.theonering.com/reading-room/stories/in-times-like-these-chapter-20-a-twin-meeting

[wolfpup]

@Leo_Bloom

… and To Whom It May Concern has its own vibe.

Yes, the basic vibe of “To whom it may concern” is essentially “to whoever happens to be reading this”, which is a hell of an interesting way to address an order to appear for military service! I suppose it’s useful if you’re trying to raise a really big army fast!

[Backwater_Under_Duck]

I use it all the time. I got it from Mr. William Safire in his very interesting On Language column. He was deliberating the uses of Dear Sir, Dear Ms., Dear Whoever happens to be reading this… It was less than the, possibly unknown, gender issue than it was, what the fuck’s up with the Dear thing. He suggested a general Greetings to begin a letter. A beautiful, simple, precise salutation that suggests no sexism, malice, ignorance, subservience or anything else but Hello, this is a letter from me to you. It’s dignified and I like it.

[GinoC]

All Royal Proclamations from HM Queen Elizabeth II commence: To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting

[bob_2]

Here is Alan Turing’s pardon by Her Maj on Christmas Eve 2013

turing-pardon.pdf

It begins:

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories QUEEN, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, To all to whom it these Presents shall come,

Greeting!

GinoC slightly mis-stated it; leaving out the “it”.