1 week Ago
The United States Postal Service ( USPS ) has unveiled its latest addition to the annual Lunar New Year stamp series with a vibrant nod to the Year of the Snake. It will be available for purchase starting January 14, 2025. The Year of the Snake begins January 29, 2025, and ends February 16, 2026.
The stamp was designed by art director Antonio Alcalá with original art by Camille Chew. It blends traditional Chinese cultural elements with modern artistic flair. It showcases a three-dimensional mask depiction of a coiled green snake set against a white background, with flowers and other accouterments placed sporadically on top of it.
The stamp is a contemporary take on the elaborately decorated paper cut masks used in Chinese dragon or lion dances, often performed during Lunar New Year parades, USPS said on its Stamps Forever page. "Chew constructed the three-dimensional snake mask out of hand-printed paper, then cut, scored, and folded it into shape. "She then embellished the mask with acrylic paint and other paper elements, like flowers and tassels, and covered the back of the mask in a layer of papier-mâché.
The mask was then photographed on a white background for this series," USPS said. The Year of the Snake stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp in panes of 20, making it not only functional but also a collector's item. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price, said USPS.
"Those born in the Year of the Snake, the sixth sign in the Chinese zodiac, are said to be quiet, wise, and deep-thinking, making them proficient musicians, philosophers, writers, and teachers," USPS said. "A snake year is sometimes referred to as a 'little dragon year' because it follows the dragon on the zodiac. 2025 marks the year of the wood snake.
" There will be a first-day-of-issue event for the Forever stamp, which will take place in Boston and is free and open to the public. Newsweek contacted USPS on Friday via email outside of working hours for further comment. News of the stamp is being shared online with the hashtags #LunarNewYearSnake and #LunarNewYearStamp.
The Lunar New Year stamp series, which began in 1992, has become a cherished tradition for collectors and celebrants alike. Each year, the series honors one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, along with associated cultural motifs. This series will continue through 2031 with stamps for the Year of the Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar, said USPS.
The stamps are expected to sell out quickly, as previous editions have often done. As previously reported by Newsweek , USPS announced 55 new stamp designs for 2025 last month. USPS advises that customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.
com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. With less than two weeks to go before Christmas , the USPS has also issued some reminders for key dates around the holiday season. To help ensure delivery before December 25, USPS reminds customers to send mail and packages as early as possible and to take advantage of the following recommended send-by dates: December 18 — USPS Ground Advantage service and First-Class Mail service December 19 — Priority Mail service December 21 — Priority Mail Express service All Post Office locations will be closed Christmas Day (Wednesday, December 25) and New Year's Day (Wednesday, January 1).
Regular Post Office hours and mail delivery will resume on the Thursday after each holiday..
