Festive Holiday Joy stamps arrive Sept. 14 in Washington, D.C.

By Charles Snee

On Sept. 14 in the nation’s capital, the United States Postal Service will kick off the 2024 holiday mailing season with a quartet of festive forever stamps featuring vibrantly colored digital illustrations of flowers and Christmas tree ornaments created by artist Michelle Munoz of Moreno Valley, Calif.

The new nondenominated (73¢) Holiday Joy special stamps will be issued during a first-day ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, D.C.

According to an Aug. 20 media advisory from the Postal Service, Sheila Holman, vice president of marketing for the USPS; and Mark Guilfoil, vice president of supply management for the USPS, will serve as the dedicating officials.

Also being issued on the same day at the same location is the Christmas Madonna and Child stamp; the ceremony for that stamp is planned for 10:30 a.m.

(Additional details about the Christmas Madonna and Child stamp were published in the Sept. 2 issue of Linn’s Stamp News.)

Those desiring to attend one or both ceremonies are asked to register online with the U.S. Postal Service.

Both stamps are being issued in conjunction with the museum’s Holiday Stamps Family Festival that begins at 11:30 a.m. and runs until 4:30 p.m.

“The winter holidays have come to the Museum early this year!” the National Postal Museum said. “Come and meet Guest Artist Katie Kirk in person while we celebrate the new 2024 Christmas stamps issued by the Postal Service. There will be crafts, games, and all sorts of winter holiday family fun.”

Some collectors might recognize Kirk’s name because she produced the artwork for two recent issues: the 2024 Love stamp (Scott 5826) and the four 2023 Winter Woodland Animals stamps (5822-5825).

According to the Postal Service, the Holiday Joy stamps showcase Munoz’s images of “two colorful Christmas ornaments, a vibrant poinsettia surrounded by greenery, and a whimsical blue flower centered against green leaves and delicate scrollwork.”

Production details published in the Aug. 8 Postal Bulletin state that Banknote Corporation of America of Browns Summit, N.C., printed a total of 500 million stamps on its Alprinta 74 press that were then finished into double-sided panes of 20 for sale nationwide at post offices and other outlets authorized to sell U.S. postage stamps.

Antonio Alcala, a seasoned art director for the Postal Service, designed the Holiday Joy stamps and shared with Linn’s Stamp News some highlights of his collaboration with Munoz.

“I first saw Michelle Muñoz’s work on Instagram,” Alcala said. “She posted many colorful images, often featuring patterning and some containing holiday-like imagery (snowflakes and ornaments).”

“I presented her work to USPS who also liked her work and issued a contract for her to create four stamp designs,” Alcala explained. “Her initial proposal was the one we liked: two ornaments, a snowflake, and a poinsettia flower. It then took several weeks of back-and forth to arrive at the final images, patterning, and colors.”

“I enjoy working with Ms. Muñoz because she is enthusiastic, and responsive to the feedback,” Alcala said. “She methodically sent pencil sketches, black and white digital renderings, revisions, color applications, and then more revisions until we reached the final designs. We worked together to find the right balance of elements and colors, that worked well at actual stamp size.”

Alcala noted that the arrangement of the designs was intended to be symmetrical.

“The symmetry of the designs is a by-product of trying to make sure the block of four designs looks balanced,” Alcala said.

To read the full story about the Holiday Joy stamps, subscribe to Linn’s Stamp News.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter