Postmark of Charlie Brown and his Christmas tree to brighten holiday mail

By Michael Baadke

Christmas holiday postmarks dominate this week’s listings in Postmark Pursuit, with traditional themes such as the Christmas star mingling with familiar characters associated with the holidays, including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus.

The popular animated television special A Charlie Brown Christmas made its debut 50 years ago, and the United States Postal Service celebrated the anniversary Oct. 1 by issuing 10 different forever stamps in full color featuring Snoopy and many of the young characters from the Peanuts comic strip in scenes from the TV program.

Collectors can now obtain a pictorial postmark from various locations around the country that has a design similar to those of the new stamps.

The postmark illustration shows Charlie Brown in his jacket and cap, holding the sparse little Christmas tree that figures as a centerpiece of the animated program.

The drawing also includes the name “Schulz” just to the left of Charlie and the tree. That’s a tribute to Charles M. Schulz (1922-2000), the comic writer and artist who created the long-running Peanuts comic strip.

Four locations using this Christmas pictorial postmark are listed here. A few more with the same design are expected in next week’s Postmark Pursuit listing.

To obtain an example of this postmark, send your request to any or all of the stations listed below. Remember to include “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as the first line of the address, followed by the station name, when you send in your request.

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS;

— Oklee MN Station, Postmaster, 202 Second Ave., Oklee, MN 56742-9998, Nov. 30.

— Wessington Springs SD Station, Postmaster, 124 Wallace Ave. S., Wessington Springs, SD 57382-9998, Dec. 1.

— Alpena SD Station, Postmaster, 822 Main St., Alpena, SD 57312-9998, Dec. 1.

— Gann Valley SD Station, Postmaster, 229 Main St., Gann Valley, SD 57341-9998, Dec. 1.

The following cancels are also available:

COMFORT Station, Postmaster, 726 Front St., Comfort, TX 78013-9998, Nov. 28. (Santa Claus head with stocking cap, “30 years of Christmas in Comfort.”)

ELVIS PRESLEY GRAND CENTRAL Station, Postmaster, 450 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10017-9998, Nov. 30. (Elvis Presley signature, “Music Icons.”)

JOY HOLIDAY Station, Postmaster, 202 W. Main St., Box 9998, Joy, IL 61260-9998, Dec. 1. (Envelope with hand-drawn snowman stamp, heart seal, “Through the Years to ALL!!,” “Braucht,” “In Loving Memory of George Braucht.”)

COQUILLE CHRISTMAS Station, Postmaster, Philatelic Services, 75 N. Birch St., Coquille, OR 97423-9998, Dec. 1. (Waving Santa on motorcycle.)

REINDEER Station, Postmaster, Rudolph SSA, 14018 Mermill Road, Rudolph, OH 43462-9998, Dec. 1-24. (Smiling Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.)

CHRISTMAS STAR Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Nazareth, MI 49074-9998, Dec. 1-25. (Star in sky, Mary riding on donkey led by Joseph, approaching a stable.)

SANTA CLAUS Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Santa Claus, IN 47579-9998, Dec. 1-25. (Santa Claus, snowflake design around circular datestamp.)

SEASON’S GREETINGS-RIDGE Station, Postmaster, 1 Pine St., Centennial, WY 82055-9998 Dec. 1-31. (View of mountain ridge.)

The following postmarks received a 30-day extension:

AMERICA’S BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL PARKS Station, Postmaster, 25 Ferry St., Schuylerville, NY 12871-9998, Nov. 17. (American flag, trees, stars around design of Saratoga National Historical Park commemorative quarter, which includes two hands, sword hilt.)

CENTENNIAL Station, Postmaster, 1883 Main St., Springfield, MA 01101-9998, Nov. 19. (“Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts,” “The Order of William Pynchon 1915-2015,” portrait of Pynchon.)

CHICAGOPEX Station, Postmaster, 1050 W. Irving Park Road, Itasca, IL 60143-9998, Nov. 20-22. (Maps of Autralasia, India and Ireland, “Honoring the Philately of Australasia, India & Ireland.”)

Collecting pictorial postmarks is fun. To obtain them, please read our instructions. Share information by writing to Postmark Pursuit, Box 4129, Sidney, OH 45365.