Holiday cheer has a stamp of its own: Gingerbread Houses

To kick off the holiday season and reignite America’s love for the gingerbread house, the U.S. Postal Service introduced limited-edition Gingerbread Houses Forever stamps today during a ceremony in the historic James A. Farley Post Office in New York City on November 6, 2013

At the event, which featured The Broadway Boys performing classic holiday songs, a life-size replica of one of the gingerbread houses pictured in the stamps was also unveiled. It will remain in the lobby of the Farley Post Office through Jan. 2, 2014, to continue the holiday cheer throughout the season.

“Just like sending holiday cards, building colorful gingerbread houses is a cherished annual tradition for many families,” said Manabe. “We hope the whimsical Gingerbread Houses stamps will add some holiday cheer to envelopes holding greeting cards and invitations this season,” added Manabe.

The new holiday Forever stamps sheet feature four different gingerbread houses set against a bright blue background. The gingerbread houses pictured in the stamp are decorated with sugary fruit slices for shingles, peppermint sticks for support beams and round, candy-coated chocolate doorknobs and holly berries. All of the houses in this stamp set were designed by gingerbread house architect Teresa Layman under the direction of stamp art director Derry Noyes and were photographed by stamp artist Sally Anderson-Bruce.

First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at local Post Offices, at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:

Gingerbread Houses Stamps
Special Cancellations
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, the price is 5 cents each. All orders must be postmarked by Feb. 6.