September 10, 2015

The Sept. 10 article, “Is the Postal Service Declaring War on Religion?” is incorrect and misleads readers into thinking Post Offices will not be offering religious-themed holiday stamps this year. Nothing could be further from the truth. Allow me to set the record straight.

We have more than a half billion religious-themed holiday stamps in inventory and based on prior year’s purchases, that’s more than twice sold during a typical Holiday season.

Our decision to print select holiday-themed stamps every other year is a business decision based on supply and demand while serving the needs of our customers. Moreover, we have found that the popularity of Holiday Forever stamps — which are good for mailing a one ounce letter anytime in the future regardless of price changes — result in more stamps purchased at a time.

Evidently the story idea about the “Postal Service Declaring a War on Religion” began when your reporter visited a Post Office and found that it had no religious-themed stamps available. Postmasters have the ability to order holiday stamps, but as most customers wait until after Thanksgiving to mail their greeting cards, Postmasters typically order these stamps in late September or early October.

Customers can purchase stamps at Post Offices or online at usps.com/shop. Religious-themed Forever holiday stamps available this year include: Christmas Magi; Eid; Hanukkah; Holy Family; Madonna of the Candelabra by Raphael; and, Virgin and Child by Jan Gosseart. Secular Forever stamps include: A Charlie Brown Christmas (available Oct. 1); Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer; Geometric Snowflakes (available Oct. 23); Winter Fun; Global Holiday: Silver Bells Wreath; Global Holiday: and Evergreen Wreath.

The Postal Service has a long standing history of celebrating the religions of the world on postage stamps.