11.24.2009

The Christmas Stamp

As a youngster I loved stamps, all sorts of stamps...even the S&H Green Stamps...remember those? But the Christmas stamps were always my favorite. The day the mail man delivered the Christmas stamps was a big, big deal! When we needed stamps, we'd place some coins in an old mayonnaise lid that was placed in our mail box at the end of our country lane. The mail man would see the coins & do the math, leaving us the appropriate number of stamps in with our mail. The math was easy back then...nickels and dimes divided so nicely into dollars. A few nickels for a few stamps...I thought that was such a cool trade off as a little girl.

Extra care was taken when I helped tear the Christmas stamps apart...didn't want to put a tear in the Mother Mary! Mom EVEN let me lick the stamps & put them on the envelopes, can you believe it? Yeah, neither could I!!! Looking back on that I do know why Mom passed that job off onto me...the tongue wasn't quite right for the rest of the day...Thanks Mom!

Do you suppose mail carriers still find coins in mayonnaise lids in the mail boxes? Can you really still buy stamps at the end of a country lane??

Just think about this...it isn't necessary to tear stamps apart any longer, if we choose not to...we no longer need to lick the stamps, if we don't want to...we can even print our own stamps with our pictures on them, if we so choose...why, we really don't even need a stamp if we go the electronic route for sending our holiday greetings.

Our children and grand children's stories are going to be so much different then ours...

Times change.

Did you know the first Christmas stamp issued in the United States was a 4-cent stamp issued in 1962. That would have made me 1 year old at the time. The red and green stamp featured a wreath, two candles and the words "Christmas 1962". By the end of the holiday season, one billion of the first Christmas stamps were printed and sold.

Often times I turn to childhood memories for inspiration for my next pattern design...with that said, let me introduce a new punch needle pattern titled, "Christmas Stamp". I couldn't decide what the cost of this stamp should be...a nickel, a dime?? After some pondering, I decided it had to be 25 cents in honor of Christmas day. The first in a series of annual Christmas stamp patterns...start your collection today! (Copyright 2009 - With thy Needle & Thread)


Stop by our website for a visit to view this new punch needle pattern along with others!

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda




8 comments:

The Whistle Stop said...

It is an awesome picture and story! I loved stamps too. Had a collection once...? Wonder where it is now?
Have a happy Holiday.
Laurie :)

Unknown said...

Comment to Laurie of the Whistle Stop,
A friend and I visited your quaint little shop for your holiday open house a couple weeks ago! I found lots of goodies & am thoroughly enjoying the old sled and little blue chair I bought from you! Have hopes of getting a photo op of the little grandson on the sled some snowy day...
Will be back again sometime!
Brenda

Mary-Kay said...

| am a letter carrier and I haven't yet found any coins in jar lids. But when I worked in the postal plant, we would find coins taped to the mail instead of stamps. Try running that through the sorting machines. I love the stamp needle punch. I might have to get one for my sister who does needle punch. have a great evening.

Catherine said...

I enjoyed your story on the stamps! Thanks for sharing - and what a cute idea for a series! I may have to try my hand at needle punch!

Pots 'n Prims said...

Love the story! And, yes, you can still buy stamps at the end of a country lane by putting the money in the mailbox! I live it! :)
Blessed holidays,
lisa

Nancy said...

What a wonderful looking snowman! I love your story behind the design too. Thanks for sharing this!

Melissa said...

Love the stamp! I have a set of the Russian punch needles that I won at a stitching retreat a couple of years ago, but I've never learned how to do it. Seeing some of your designs definitely makes me want to learn. :)

BTW, I finished up your Indian Summer freebie a couple of days ago. I love it! I wasn't sure how to email you a copy of it. I did post it on my blog though:

http://www.thedailymel.com/2009/11/27/a-finish-a-start/

Mary said...

What great memories you wrote about and made me recall my excitement over the Christmas Stamps. I still love seeing what the USPS has chosen for the holiday. Sometimes I love it, sometimes I'm not so sure, but I have to have them to make my cards look properly Chritmas as I send them out!
I love the snowman stamp punchneedle--have to have it!