Is it Proper to Write on the Top Half of a Greeting Card?

Dear Ms. Cards Etiquette,
 
I always wonder, when writing out cards, is it professional to write on the opposite side of the imprinted message. If you have a card that folds in half downwards, are you supposed to write on the top half of the card?? Does it matter??
 
Not Sure Nancy.

Well, Nancy, since your question can be a little confusing to some, I’ve included a diagram so people exactly understand what you’re asking. You’re asking if it is proper to write in the “Inside Front Cover” of the card. Refer to the image below.

The short answer is, yes, you can write on the inside front cover. There is no etiquette saying you cannot do this. However, there are a few conditions where this might not be such a good idea.

• Does the card have a foil finish? If so, you may not want to write on the inside front cover of the card because you could rub the foil off. (Foil is the shiny ‘metal’ look that is pictured on the top Happy Birthday Card pictured below.)
• Does the card have an “stamped” design that puts a texture on the cover? You might not want to write on the inside front cover of this type of card just because writing in the texture would be difficult for the other person to read — not to mention difficult for you to write. The second card, pictured below is a good example of a card that is stamped.
• Are you a heavy handed writer? That is, do you press down hard enough to leave an indention in the paper when you write? If so, you may not want to write on the inside front cover just because you could leave cursive indentions on the cover of the card which makes it unattractive to the recipient.

If none of those conditions applies, you can absolutely write on the inside front cover of the card. Hopes this helps you, Nancy!