Quartet of U.S. stamps to spread holiday cheer Sept. 13 in nation’s capital

By Charles Snee

A set of four United States nondenominated (78¢) definitive (regular-issue) forever stamps will usher in the holiday mailing season on Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C.

The four new Holiday Cheer stamps feature vibrantly colored illustrations of three amaryllis flowers, a holly wreath, an evergreen branch decorated with fruit, and cardinals perched on mistletoe.

“The images were created using a collage technique with gouache and acrylic paint on background paper from a vintage gardening book,” the U.S. Postal Service said. “The shapes for each image were then cut out and pasted onto an archival cotton board. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps with original artwork by Denise Fiedler.”

The nondenominated (78¢) definitive stamps will be issued at noon Eastern Time at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, D.C.

Michael Elston, vice president of labor relations for the U.S. Postal Service, will serve as the dedicating official.

Those desiring to attend the ceremony, which is free and open to the public, are encouraged to register online with the Postal Service at usps.com/holidaycheerstamps.

In response to a query from Linn’s Stamp News, Noyes shared some of her thoughts about working on the Holiday Cheer stamps with Fiedler.

“I had seen Denise’s artwork on notecards for years and thought she would be a good candidate for illustrating stamps,” Noyes said. “She was delighted to receive the call and we were off and running.”

Noyes told Linn’s she enjoyed her collaboration with Fiedler.

“She was a delight to work with, very quick to understand the assignment and willing to make any and all changes recommended,” Noyes explained.

“We communicated easily back and forth,” Noyes said. “Our personalities clearly clicked, which is a blessing. It’s not always the case, so I am very grateful when this happens. Her collages are well suited for this small format. There’s a spontaneity that comes through and brings joy. I think they will be popular.”

When it came to selecting artwork for the stamps, Noyes said the focus was on the season.

“These stamps are meant to be used during the winter holidays but not affiliated with any particular holiday,” Noyes said. “The idea was to be bright, colorful, lighthearted, and cheerful, evoking the spirit of the season.”

“We did have another image that the [Citizens’ Stamp Advisory] Committee felt were too removed from the holiday season,” Noyes said. “It was replaced with the wreath.”

According to production details published in the Aug. 7 issue of the Postal Bulletin, Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. of Williamsville, N.Y., one of the Postal Service’s two contract stamp printers, produced 500 million Holiday Cheer stamps that were finished into 25 million double-sided panes of 20 for sale at post offices and other outlets authorized to sell postage stamps.

To read more about the 2025 Holiday Cheer stamps, subscribe to Linn’s Stamp News.

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