The Postal Service has more than a billion Holiday themed stamps in
stock from previous years, and has printed 800 million more to help
Americans celebrate this year's holiday season. Customers may
purchase them now at usps.com/shop at this link or by calling
1-800-STAMP24 (1-800-782-6724). "This is an exciting time of year
when Americans share greetings with family, friends and loved
ones," said Postal Service Stamp Services Acting Director Mary-Anne
Penner. "Our vast assortment of holiday-themed stamps are sure to
fit everyone's needs. And by ordering them online, you can save a
trip to the Post Office." Here's an alphabetical list of stamps
available this year: A Charlie Brown Christmas; Geometric
Snowflakes; Gingerbread Houses; Hanukkah; Holiday Baubles; Holy
Family; Kwanzaa; Madonna of the Candelabra by Raphael; Neon
Celebrate!; Poinsettia; Virgin and Child by Jan Gossaert; and,
Winter Fun. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Oct. 2 marked the 65th anniversary of the "Peanuts" comic strip
and December marks the 50th anniversary of the most popular holiday
TV classic of all time, "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The stamp
images include: Charlie holding the sapling that eventually becomes
his Christmas tree; Charlie and Pigpen with a snowman; Snoopy and
children ice skating; the cast of the program gathered around the
Christmas tree; Linus kneeling by the sparsely decorated Christmas
tree; Charlie checking his mailbox for a Christmas card; Charlie
and Linus leaning on a snowy brick wall; Charlie and Linus standing
by the Christmas tree; a frustrated Charlie standing in front of
Snoopy's doghouse; and, Charlie decorating the tree in front of the
prize-winning lights display on Snoopy's doghouse. Christmas
Magi
The stamp art illustrates the traditional tale of the Magi, who
came bearing gifts for Jesus. The three regal figures sit atop a
trio of bedecked and harnessed camels, the animals almost at the
summit of a small hill. Guiding them is a large, dazzling star
shining in the sky. The colors in the sky range from a rose near
the horizon, darkening to a rich purple at the top, suggesting that
the travelers are moving through the desert at dawn. Geometric
Snowflakes
Each of the four Geometric Snowflakes stamps depicts a different
snowflake. In nature, untold millions of ephemeral ice crystals
form unique patterns that are as stunning in their complexity as
they are fleeting. This infinite variety inspired the designers to
experiment with different graphic shapes. Each snowflake is drawn
in one of four colors: purple, pink, green, or blue. Applying light
and dark shades of color enhanced the intricate geometry of each
flake and added a feeling of playfulness to the stamp art.
Gingerbread Houses
Four new, cheerful holiday stamps capture the delicious
tradition and childlike nostalgia of making gingerbread houses.
Stumbling across a magical cottage made of cake and candy, Hansel
and Gretel knew just how special gingerbread houses could be — but
no witches will jump out of these confectionery domiciles. Instead,
the Gingerbread Houses stamps will add a touch of whimsy to your
holiday mail. Hanukkah
Celebrated by Jewish people around the world, Hanukkah, the
joyous Festival of Lights, spans eight nights and days of
remembrance and ritual. Central to the celebration is the hanukiah,
a nine-branched menorah used only at Hanukkah. Eight of its
branches represent each of the eight nights and days of Hanukkah,
and the ninth, the shamash or "the servant," is used to light the
other candles. Hanukkah
Happy Hanukkah! With eight colorful shapes and the silhouette of
a dreidel, this stamp captures the joyous spirit of the Hanukkah
festival. Holiday Baubles
Evergreen trees and branches have been used as winter holiday
decorations for hundreds of years. Trees were trimmed with fruit —
apples were a popular choice — and nuts, candies, or paper. Glass
ornaments first appeared in the late 19th century, in Germany, and
their use quickly spread to other countries. While styles from the
1950s inspired the ornaments depicted in the stamp art, sincere
wishes for happy holidays never go out of fashion. These stamps
offer a fashionably "retro" way to enhance the season's greetings.
Holy Family
The Holy Family stamp celebrates Christmas with a scene from the
Nativity story that reminds us of the joys of the season: family,
togetherness, and the birth of the baby Jesus. It continues the
Postal Service's tradition of issuing beautiful and timeless
Christmas stamps and will be a treasured addition to cards and
letters sent during this season of goodwill and sharing.
Kwanzaa
With this colorful stamp design, the Postal Service celebrates
Kwanzaa, a non-religious holiday that takes place over seven days
each year from Dec. 26-Jan. 1. Kwanzaa draws on African traditions
and takes its name from the phrase for "first fruits" in Swahili, a
widely spoken African language. Madonna of the Candelabra by
Raphael
This Christmas stamp features a detail from a work by the
Italian master Raphael, entitled "Madonna of the Candelabra." This
tondo (circular painting), oil on panel, dates to around 1513. Neon
Celebrate!
Good times call for good wishes. Bringing an extra wish for
happiness to anyone celebrating a special time, this stamp features
a brilliantly colored design crafted out of neon and glass that
adds a spark to greeting cards, invitations, and gift-bearing
envelopes and packages. Poinsettia
The U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of issuing
classic holiday stamps with this bright and cheerful rendering of
America's favorite holiday flower, the poinsettia. The stamp art
depicts the rich red and vibrant green leaves surrounding the
flower — the cluster of small, rather modest cup-shaped structures
in the center. The red "petals" that we think of as the flower are
actually modified leaves called bracts. A potted poinsettia was
used as art reference. Virgin and Child by Jan Gossaert
Five centuries ago, Jan Gossaert helped bring the genius of the
Italian Renaissance to northern Europe. Today, his devotional
paintings, rich in symbolism, still vividly evoke the traditions of
Christmas. Winter Fun
Drawing on nostalgic images of snowy childhoods, the Winter Fun
stamps can be used not only to convey the joyful spirit of the
holiday season and the New Year, but also to send cheerful
greetings for any occasion all winter long. Delivering for the
Holidays
The Postal Service expects to deliver more than 15.5 billion
cards, letters, flats, and packages during the 2015 holiday season.
In addition, it is projecting that approximately 600 million
packages will be delivered between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve
— an increase of 10.5 percent over last year's volume. In time for
the holidays, the Postal Service will offer real-time delivery
notifications – meaning customers who sign up for alerts at
myusps.com will receive notification within a few minutes of the
delivery scan for select packages. For additional news and updates
throughout the season, please visit the USPS Holiday Newsroom. The
Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and
relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its
operations.
Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills
and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom. Reporters
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information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and
usps.com/postalfacts.
A photo accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=37894
CONTACT: Mark Saunders
202.268.6524
mark.r.saunders@usps.gov
usps.com/news