NORTHERN NJ   Creepy and chilling Spooky Silhouettes began appearing at Northern New Jersey Post Offices recently. Issued on Friday, October 11, the Postal Service’s four new Spooky Silhouettes commemorative stamps offer fun, frightful views of scenes that symbolize the annual celebration of Halloween.

The four new stamps feature digital illustrations with Halloween motifs rendered as black silhouettes in eerily backlit windows. Artist Tyler Lang worked with art director and designer Greg Breeding to create these stamps. Check out images of the new stamps on USPS.com.

The stamp images include a cat with an arched back beneath a raven perched on a bare tree branch, all against a yellowish-green background; two ghosts against an orange background; a spider and a web against a red background; and three bats against a purple background. These newly available stamps are Forever stamps, which are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Brought to North America by immigrants from Ireland and Scotland, Halloween soon became a distinctively American celebration that transcended social boundaries and ethnic origin. In the early 20th century, the holiday was often a time for pranks and rowdiness, but communities and civic organizations worked to rein in those tendencies.

After World War II, widespread enthusiasm for trick-or-treating gave the holiday a youthful emphasis.  Since the 1970s, adults have increasingly joined the festivities: a 2014 survey shows that nearly 67 percent of the American population celebrates Halloween.

In addition to local Post Offices, the Spooky Silhouettes stamps and other philatelic products can be purchased from the convenience of your home through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), or by mail through the USA Philatelic catalog.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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