Stamp story: October 2009

Christmas Rubber Stamps Will Help Make Your Season Merry

Since its introduction to the crafts, stamping for Christmas has grown into one of the well sought after hobbies today. I am sure that the persons who started this art did not think that this would be so special especially during the season. Leading up to the period you can find a variety of rubber stamps with various themes; the most common is the Santa rubber stamps.

This art of creating these rubber stamps has proven effective to many persons as the main requirements that is need is cost effective. To create fun rubber stamps designs all you need is creative flexibility and the use of inexpensive materials.

To some mastering the craft of stamping has proven to be a lot of trial and failures. But once the skill is developed you can test you talents on countless rubber stamps for Christmas designs. This art form was is used by men and women who would stamp to mark and tattoo images on their body.

In early 1970's some countries utilize rubber stamps for Christmas as a fast growing hobby and it was doing so well, that companies started to cash in on the craze. Although it is hard for individual to compete with companies many persons continue to enjoy rapid growth. However it was not until 1990's that Christmas rubber stamping expanded as a craft worldwide. This was not surprising as this craft was very intriguing and provide the designer with lots of fun. These designs are now done by thousands of companies all over the world and exceptional work is produced on a large scale every year.

The stamps for the Yule tide season phenomenon has become so popular that creative designs can be seen on almost every object that there is; gift bags, post cards, scrapbook, 3D artwork or even clothing.

The art stamps that have ready made decorations is popular used in the United States. When you creating your decorative designs for Christmas the art stamps is the preferred choice in the United States; they are quite fashionable. You will find some of the most intricate designs being used widely on various objects as decorations.

The season is a colorful time of the year and almost any objects that you are creating during this time, Christmas techniques can be added to give special touches. It is a challenge each year for persons to find good gift ideas and the Reindeer rubber stamps would be a big hit. Let your creative juices run wild and very soon you can turn art stamps into easy decorations for your desired patterns. A popular choice of these gifts for Christmas would be some elaborate toys for the children.

Colin Scott is am art lover and during the yule tide season uses Christmas rubber stamps and reindeer rubber stamps to energize his gifts. Visit any of the links in this bio to get your own stamps.

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The First Christmas Stamp - A History of Holiday Postage

Today Christmas stamps are sold by many countries during the holiday season and are used to add a little color and cheer to Christmas cards and letters. But how did this tradition start?

In December 1898, Canada issued a 2-cent stamp celebrating the introduction of imperial penny postage and inscribed with the words "XMAS 1898." This stamp is usually regarded as the world's first Christmas stamp, but it wasn't actually released to celebrate the holidays. Instead, as legend goes, Postmaster William Mulock suggested to Queen Victoria that the stamp should be released in November "to honor the Prince" (meaning the Prince of Wales). But when the queen showed obvious displeasure with the idea and asked which prince he was referring to, Mulock quickly answered, "Why, the Prince of Peace, ma'am". So when the stamp was issued in December, it bore not only the image of a world map, but also the words "XMAS 1898" at the bottom of the stamp.

It wasn't until nearly 40 years later that another country issued a Christmas stamp. This time the country was Austria. In 1937, it issued two stamps billed as "Christmas Greeting Stamps," but neither had a Christmas theme. One showed a zodiac sign and the other one depicted a rose. Brazil was next in line, issuing four semi-postal stamps in 1939, and Hungary followed suit with a semi-postal stamp in 1941. Semi-postal stamps are ones that are sold above the stamp's value to raise money for a specific cause.

So it wasn't until 1943 that Hungary issued the first Christmas-themed stamp that was sold specifically as a holiday stamp. Now many nations of the world issue postage stamps with a Christmas theme that are intended for use on seasonal mail.

The first Christmas stamp issued by the United States came was a 4-cent stamp issued in 1962. The green and red stamp featured a wreath, two candles, and the words "Christmas 1962". The postal service anticipated a huge demand for the new stamp and ordered 350 million printed, the largest number ever produced up until that time for a special stamp. But it wasn't enough. When the initial supply quickly ran out the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began working around the clock to print more. By the end of the season, one billion of the first Christmas stamps were printed and distributed.

Today you can not only buy Christmas postage stamps with official designs issued by the US Postal Service, but you can also create your own personalized USPS stamps for the holidays or for everyday use.

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Stamp Collecting As a Hobby

As stamps started being used massively, featuring different people and different designs, the birth of stamps collectors occurred as well. Great Britain was the first country that started producing stamps during the 19th century, thus it's not surprising that there are still many people who like collecting stamps as a hobby. This hobby actually has a name; it's called philately, deriving from the Greek language.

There are billions of stamps available today, of all kinds and types. With feature and the picture of an important persona, of a city or a monument. These are produced based on different occasions; for instance, during the Olympic games every four years, there are series that hit the market, as there are many collectors who appreciate their uniqueness and would like to add them to their collection.

An individual who likes collecting stamps can start gathering normal and regular; a few years later the same ones will become rare, once they are replaced by newer designs and styles. People who like collections, whether they like collecting antique toys, they tend to develop their personal taste and build collections that reflect their preferences.

Internet is an ideal place for collecting beginners, as there already made collections or stamps that are sold individually. There are stamp books, which are considered to be a quick start collection. Some of them feature rare and can be very interesting; however, it is important to remember that they usually contain stamps that were sold in a particular country. Most stamp collectors today tend to gather from all over the world - this is anyway the most interesting part related to these collections. Stamps featuring queens and kings, historical persons or buildings can be quite expensive as well.

Sturat is article marketer, copywriter and enjoys writing on topics like Collecting Stamps and Collecting Antique Toys. For more information on these topics, please visit us.

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