NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new booklet of Forever stamps entitled Holiday Windows was dedicated today, making it clear that the holidays are right around the corner. These festive holiday contemporary stamps represent one of the major issues for the 2016 holiday mailing season.
The dedication ceremony took place at the American Stamp Dealers' Association Fall Postage Stamp Show at the New York Hilton in New York City. The stamp show will conclude Sunday.
"These new stamps will help people celebrate the holidays with style – whether applied to letters, cards or packages, they will welcome recipients with greetings and good cheer," Postal Service Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Joseph Corbett noted. "It's our hope that these inviting stamps will help customers connect with the festive spirit of the season."
Corbett was the dedicating official, and Mary-Anne Penner, director of Stamp Services for the Postal Service, was the master of ceremonies for the event.
These new stamps have been printed – and will be sold – only as complete booklets of 20 stamps, priced at $9.40 (the individual stamp price is 47 cents). The booklets feature four designs that each appears five times.
The stamps reflect the simple pleasures of the wintry holiday season and feature a candle, a wreath, a star and a lighted tree. The stamps show the tranquil calm of a winter evening after the snow has fallen and the sun has set. Whether you enjoy viewing a peaceful scene from a cozy spot indoors or feeling a chill on your face outside, these brief moments make this time of year special.
Two designs show views from the inside looking out: a single burning candle sits on a window sill; and a simple star ornament hangs in a window. Two other designs show views from the outside looking in: a brightly lit indoor Christmas tree contrasts with the snowy shrubs outside; and a snow-covered wreath hangs in front of a frosted window. Art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, designed the stamps with original artwork by William Low of Huntington, NY.
Featuring snowy winter nights, these stamps demonstrate how windows everywhere play a role in the celebration of the holidays. We can delight in the snow when we're inside, and can share our warmth and happiness with the outside world through simple panes of glass. Conveying both the joyful and the reverent spirit of the holiday season, these elegant stamps show the ways we observe traditions and spread cheer. Each stamp is sure to add some winter joy to letters and cards during the year's coldest months, especially in regions farther north.
The Holiday Windows stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. Customers may purchase these and many other holiday stamps at their local Post Office, at the Postal Store usps.com/shop or by calling 800-STAMP-24 (800-782-6724).
Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks
Customers have 60 days to obtain first-day-of-issue postmarks by mail. They may purchase these new stamps at local Post Offices, online or by phone as described above. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in envelopes addressed to:
Holiday Windows Stamps
Stamp Fulfillment Services
Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-9998
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by December 6, 2016.
Ordering First-Day Covers
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamps and stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog online, or by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:
U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
Visit the Postal Service's Event Calendar for information on upcoming stamp events.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
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A photo accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=41601
