2011 - Holiday Baubles
These retro stamps were designed by Linda Fountain who used paper cutting and collaging to create these 1950's inspired images.

2010 - Holiday Evergreens
This four panel contemporary stamp design by painter Ned Seidler features four various details from the trees of Ponderosa, Eastern Red Cedar, Balsam Fir and Blue Spruce.

2009 - Winter Holidays
This four panel contemporary stamp design by Richard Sheaff features four illustrations of a reindeer, snowman, gingerbread man and nutcracker.

2008 - Holiday Nutcrackers
This four panel contemporary stamp design features four various nutcrackers.

2007 - Holiday Knits
This four panel contemporary stamp design features four various knitted designs... a reindeer, Christmas tree, snowman and bear.

2006 - Holiday Snowflakes
This four panel contemporary stamp design features four various snowflake designs.

2005 - Holiday Cookies
This four panel contemporary stamp design features holiday cookies in the shape of Santa, snowmen, an angel and gingerbread men.

2004 - Holiday Ornaments
This four panel contemporary stamp design by Derry Noyes features a Santa ornament in colors of purple, red, blue and green as it is tucked away in its box.

2003 - Holiday Music Makers
This four panel contemporary stamp design by Ethel Kessler features a very colorful display of holiday noisemakers being played by Santa and his reindeer.

2002 - Snowman Greetings
This four panel contemporary stamp design by artist Derry Noyes features Frosty the snowman in four different holiday poses.

2001 - 19th Century Santa Claus
This years' four panel contemporary stamp design features Santa Claus in four different poses with gifts.

1999 - Reindeer Holiday Greetings
This years' four panel contemporary stamp design by Tom Nikosey, features a gold tone reindeer silhouette on either a navy blue, plum purple, pine green or red background. A new Christmas stamp would not be issued until 2001.

1998 - Wreath Holiday Greetings
This years' four panel contemporary stamp design features various versions of a holiday Christmas Wreath -- each representing the four regions of the United States:
NW - (fir tree branches with pine cones), SW - (chiles, corn husks and Indian corn "flowers")
NE - (pomegranates, pine cones, berries, poppy pods and nuts), SE - (a tropical wreath with brightly colored flowers).

1997 - American Holly
This years' contemporary stamp design features an illustration of the American Holly

1996 - Family Holiday
This year had five new Christmas contemporary stamp issues designed by Julia Talcott featuring various holiday traditions.

1995 - Six Designs
This year had six new Christmas contemporary stamp issues. The first four are a panel depicting Santa Claus entering a chimney, a child holding a jumping jack, a child holding a Christmas tree, and Santa Claus working on a sled. The fifth and sixth are of Children Sledding and the Midnight Angel designed by John Grossman and Laura Alders.

1994 - Three Designs
This year had three new Christmas contemporary stamp issues... Santa and the Gift designed by Harry Zelenko, The Cardinal designed by Harry Zelenko and the Christmas Stocking.

1993 - Christmas Greeting
Designed by Peter Good, this years contemporary stamp design features a four panel display of various Christmas Greeting illustrated with: a Jack-in-the-box, Snowman, Reindeer and Toy Soldier

1992 - Antique Toys
Designed by Lou Nolan, this years contemporary stamp design features a four panel display of various antique toys, all on wheels, including a race horse with jockey, a train with coal car, a horse-drawn fire pumper, and a steamship.

1991 - Santa
Designed by John Berkey, this years contemporary stamp design features a five panel display of Santa in various scenes of Christmas: Going up into the chimney after leaving gifts under the tree, checking the naughty or nice list, heading down into the chimney with the bag of gifts, in the sleigh heading off into the night, and placing a gift under the Christmas tree.

1990 - Paper Cut Christmas Tree
Designed by Libby Thiel, this years contemporary stamp design features an a paper cut Christmas tree with garland and ornaments.

1989 - A Sleigh with Gifts
Designed by Steven Donahos, this years contemporary stamp design features an illustration of on open sleigh with gifts piled high.

1988 - One Horse Open Sleigh
Designed by Joan Landis, this years contemporary stamp design features an illustration of a horse pulling an open sleigh through the snow with a few homes and mountain range in the distance.

1987 - Christmas Ornaments
Designed by Jim Dean, this years contemporary stamp design features an illustration of colorful glass globe Christmas ornaments hanging in the tee.

1986 - Holiday Village
Designed by Dolly Tingle, this years contemporary stamp design features an illustration of various colorful homes in a village, dotted with pine trees.

1985 - Pointsetta Seasons Greetings
Designed by James Dean, this years contemporary stamp design features an illustration of holiday red pointsettas.

1984 - Drawing of Santa
Designed by 8 year old Danny La Boccetta of Jamaica, New York, this years contemporary stamp design features a drawing of Santa Claus that was chosen in a national student competition.

1983 - Niccolini Cowper Madonna
There was not a contemporary Christmas stamp issued for this year, only the religious themed stamp featuring this painting entitled “Niccolini Cowper Madonna” by high renaissance painter Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino... better known as Raphael.

1982 - Seasons Greetings
Designed by Chuck Ripper, this years contemporary stamp design features a panel of four designs... each depicting a different scene of Christmas activities: sledding, building a snowman, ice skating and decorating the Christmas tree.

1981 - Felt Bear on Sleigh
Designed by Naiad Einsel, this years contemporary stamp design features the image of a wind-up bear toy and gift in a sleigh. There is not a stamp price on this issue as the Post Office was contemplating a price change, and it had not been decided by the time it went to print.

1980 - Wreath and Toys Season Greetings
Designed by Bob Timberlake, this years contemporary stamp design features the image of a Christmas wreath in the window over a toy drum, trumpet and bell.

1979 - Santa Ornament
Designed by Eskil Ohlsson, this years contemporary stamp design features the image of a Christmas ornmanet in the form of Santa Claus. Of all the Christmas stamps, I have studied this one the most as I completed an original painting entitled "Stamped Santa" using it as a reference.

1978 - Rocking Horse
Designed by Dolli Tingle, this years contemporary stamp design features the image of a child and rocking horse in front of the Christmas tree.

1977 - (The first of two issued this year) - Rural Holiday Mailbox
Designed by artist Dolli Tingle, this years holiday stamp features a rural mailbox stuffed to the brim with holiday mail! When mailboxes first made their debut in rural areas, it created a new connection to the world for the isolated farm and ranch families.

1977 - (The second of two issued this year) - Valley Forge - Bicentennial Commemoration
Released as this years Traditional holiday stamp, this design by Steven Dohanos features the painting entitled "George Washington at Valley Forge" by J. C. Leyendecker and commemorates the 200th anniversary of Washington's army at Valley Forge.

1976 - Winter Pastime
Featuring the 1855 lithograph by artist Nathaniel Currier, this years holiday stamp illustrated children playing what looks to be ice hockey on a frozen river. The original painting can be found today in the Museum of the City of New York.

1975 - Early Card Cherub
One of the first things you may notice about this years Christmas stamp, is there is no denomination value printed. This was because the rate change amount was still being decided upon, and so they ran without a number. Featuring a cherub swinging from a bell and ivy, this design by Louis Prang graced the Christmas mail of 1975.

1974 - (The first of two issued this year) - The Road Winter
Based in New York City from 1834 - 1906, the successful printmaking firm of Currier and Ives was the source of inspiration for this years USPS Christmas stamp issue. Steven Dohanos' design is entitled "The Road Winter".

1974 - (The second of two issued this year) - Mount Vernon Dove Weather Vane
Located near Alexandria, Virginia, Mount Vernon's hand hammered copper Dove of Peace weather vane was the inspiration for this stamp design by Robert W. Bode. This was the first self-adhesive stamp issued by USPS!

1973 - Christmas Needlepoint
Designed by Dolli Tingle, this years contemporary stamp design features the image of a Christmas tree and ornaments in fine needlepoint.

1972 - T'was the Night Before Christmas
Designed by Steven Dohanos, this years contemporary stamp design features a line from the popular 18th century poem entitled "A Visit from St. Nicholas".

1971 - Partridge in a Pear Tree
Designed by Jamie Wyeth, this years contemporary stamp design features a line from the popular 16th century song entitled "The Twelve Days of Christmas".

1970 - Antique Toys
This years issued Christmas stamps consisted of four different antique toy designs: a locomotive, wheeled horse, mechanical tricycle, and a doll carriage. This was also the year that USPS decided to issue both a "contemporary" and"religious" themed holiday stamp. (This advent calendar features contemporary designs for now!)

1969 - Winter Sunday in Norway, Maine
Following the more contemporary style of Christmas stamp USPS had began with, this years stamp features the 19th century painting by an unknown artist. The original painting is still in the collection of the New York State Historical Association in Cooperstown, N.Y.

1968 - The Annunciation
Following suit from the past two Christmas stamp issues, this religious themed stamp design shows a part of the painting entitled "The Annunciation" by the 15th century Flemish artist Jan van Eyck.

1967 - Madonna and Child
This years Christmas stamp is essentially the same as the 1966 release, but the design is taller and shows more of Hans Memling's 15th century painting entitled "Madonna and Child with Angels."

1966 - Madonna and Child
The first Christmas postage stamp with a religious theme, design shows a bit of Hans Memling's 15th century painting entitled "Madonna and Child with Angels."

1965 - Angel Gabriel
Designed by Robert Jones after a painting by Lucille Gloria Chabot, depicts the Angel Gabriel as a weather vane.

1964 - Holly, Mistletoe, Pointsetta and Pine Cone
This four-set of stamps was a first for USPS, and featured four traditional symbols of Christmas. Only three colors were used to produce these images of holly and berries, mistletoe, pointsetta and a pine cone nestled in the branches of a pine tree.

1963 - National Christmas Tree
This released stamp was based on an on-the-spot painting made by artist Lily Spandorf of President John F. Kennedy lighting the National Christmas tree in front of the White House.

1962 - Wreath and Candles
The first official Christmas stamp is issued by the United States Postal Service and was meant to remind the public to shop and mail their packages and cards early that year. The initial print run of these stamps had sold out so quickly that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing had to work round-the-clock to meet the demand!