The U.S. Postal Service is set to unveil its 2024 Christmas Madonna and Child stamp, along with the Holiday Joy stamps, during a special dedication ceremony on Saturday, September 14, at 10:30 a.m. EDT. The event will take place at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum in Washington, DC.
The dedication ceremony will be led by USPS officials Sheila Holman, Vice President of Marketing, and Mark Guilfoil, Vice President of Supply Management. The event will include speeches from prominent postal officials and will be followed by the National Postal Museum’s Holiday Stamps Family Festival, which will feature guest artist Katie Kirk.
The Christmas Madonna and Child stamp continues a long-standing tradition within the Postal Service’s holiday offerings, depicting the Virgin Mary and Child through various artistic interpretations. This year’s design features a serene image from the workshop of the 17th-century Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as “Sassoferrato.” The art direction for this stamp was handled by William Gicker, with Greg Breeding responsible for the design. The stamp will be available in booklets of 20.
The Holiday Joy stamps offer a more contemporary take on holiday greetings, drawing inspiration from Mexican folk art. These stamps were designed by Antonio Alcalá, a USPS art director, using original digital illustrations created by Michelle Muñoz.
Both the Christmas Madonna and Child and Holiday Joy stamps will be issued as Forever stamps, which means they will always be valid for mailing at the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.
The event will also feature a first-day-of-issue ceremony, where attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the new stamps and have them postmarked with a special first-day-of-issue cancellation. The event is free and open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to register online. Media representatives are also encouraged to RSVP to ensure access to interviews and seating.