Christmas spirit takes center stage: USPS unveils festive Christmas stamps at the National Postal Museum – Newsroom

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Postal Service today unveiled the 2024 Christmas stamps featuring the Madonna and Child with the Joy of Christmas at a special event at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

Featuring 17th century Italian art and inspired by Mexican folk art, these new stamps capture the festive spirit of the Christmas season.

Sheila Holman, USPS vice president of marketing, and Mark Guilfoil, USPS vice president of supply management, spoke to the crowd of art lovers, stamp collectors and postal workers, emphasizing the importance of these stamps in continuing American holiday traditions.

“The Madonna and Child Christmas stamp is a beautiful reminder of the roots of this season,” said Holman. “The timeless design adds a touch of reverence and warmth to any letter. We are proud to offer this special stamp to our customers as they send their holiday greetings.”

“These stamps provide our customers with beautiful holiday imagery and are more than just decorations for their cards and packages – they enable and build bridges between families and friends across America,” said Guilfoil. “The Holiday Joy stamps not only capture the spirit of the season, they also remind us of the cherished seasonal tradition of sharing love, hope and memories through the mail, helping us stay connected with the people we care about most.”

Other speakers included Toby Mensforth, deputy director of the National Postal Museum, Antonio Alcala, art director of the USPS, and Jacquie Gales Webb, host of “Gospel Spirit,” a program on WHUR-FM (96.3) in the Washington, DC area.

Event attendees were treated to a first-day ceremony where they had the opportunity to purchase the new stamps and have them stamped with a special cancellation. Following the ceremony, the National Postal Museum's Holiday Stamps Family Festival took place, where children and families participated in Christmas-themed games and crafts. A special appearance by guest artist Katie Kirk added to the festive atmosphere.

The perfect setting for this unveiling, the National Postal Museum is home to one of the world's largest stamp collections and is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history of communication. The addition of the 2024 Madonna and Child and Christmas Joy stamps to the Postal Service's holiday collection continues a cherished tradition that has brought joy and connection to millions of Americans.

The Christmas Madonna and Child features the serene Madonna and Child from the workshop of the 17th century Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as “Sassoferrato” (1609-1685). William Gicker was the artistic director and Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

“Holiday Joy,” four stamps inspired by Mexican folk art, were designed by Antonio Alcalá, a USPS art director, using original digital illustrations by Michelle Muñoz.

The Christmas Madonna and Child and Holiday Joy stamps are “Forever” stamps that will always be equal to the current 1-ounce rate for First Class Mail stamps and are now available at post offices nationwide and online at. www.usps.com.

News about the stamps will be shared on social media using the hashtags #MadonnaAndChildStamp and #HolidayJoyStamps.

Postal products

Customers can purchase stamps and other philatelic products online at The Post Officeby phone at 844-737-7826 or at post offices nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, purchase the Officially licensed USPS collection. on Amazon.

For more information about stamps, first day celebrations and stamp-inspired products, visit StampsForever.com.

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