Holiday Stamps 2009
The release of new Holiday Stamps is eagerly anticipated each year. These beautiful commemoratives add a special touch to your holiday cards and Christmas cards. Here are the new choices for the 2009 holiday season.
Borders of trees, stars, wreaths and holly trim these four images featuring a reindeer, snowman, gingerbread man, and toy soldier on this fun holiday assortment. Colorful and charming, each brings a feeling of vintage holiday enjoyment. Stamp artist Joseph Cudd, of Greensboro, NC, created these designs.
This traditional Christmas stamp continues the Madonna and Child theme used since 1978. This year a painting by Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi (1609-1685), more commonly known as Sassoferrato is featured. The painting is currently housed at Hearst Castle in California and this stamp celebrates the 400th anniversary of the birth of the artist.
A musical angel with a lute is taken from a fragment of a circa 1480 fresco. The original fragment is 37” x 46” and housed in the Vatican art museum. The artist, Melozzo da Forli (1438-1494) is considered to be one of the great fresco artists of his day. His depictions of musical angels have enjoyed a newfound popularity today.
This year Hanukkah begins on December 11 with 8 days and nights of celebration. This 2009 Hanukkah design features a photograph of a menorah designed by Lisa Regan of the Garden Deva Sculpture Company in Tulsa, OK, and was photographed by Ira Wexler of Braddock Heights, MD. Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for “dedication.” Blue and silver are the customary colors used in celebrating this holiday.
Kwanzaa is a non-religious holiday rooted in African traditions. Celebrated from December 26 to January 1, this colorful stamp by Lloyd McNeill of New York richly depicts the essence of family and a bountiful harvest. The first Kwanzaa commemorative stamp was issued in 1997. This is the third stamp design to celebrate this particular holiday.
These stamps were announced on December 29, 2008, when the U.S. Postal Services previews their stamps for the coming year. At that time a first class stamp was 42¢. You can be assured that they will reflect the increased rate of 44¢ when they are released for this holiday season.
