2013 First-Class Forever Stamp,Contemporary Christmas: Gingerbread House with Yellow Roof and Green Door

U.S. #4819

2013 46¢ Green Door

Gingerbread Houses

Issue Date: November 6, 2013
City: New York, NY
Quantity: 187,500,000
Printed By: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Perforations: Serpentine Die Cut 11
Color: Multicolored

This stamp is part of a block of four issued for the 2013 holiday season. The gingerbread houses were constructed specifically for the stamp design. 

While most associated with frosty winter holidays, gingerbread begins with the Zingiber officinale plant of South Asia, East Africa, and the Caribbean. After harvesting, the roots of the plant are then finely ground into the spice commonly known as ginger, which is the crucial ingredient in the holiday treat.

Ginger was originally used as a preservative, but soon became popular for its taste. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used early forms of gingerbread for ceremonial purposes. An Armenian monk is credited with bringing the treat to Europe around 992.

Gingerbread was especially prized in Germany, where once only guilds recognized by the government were allowed to bake it. Nuremberg’s Lebkuchner guild was formed in 1643 to control quality and limit competition. The art of making gingerbread was so highly regarded, the treat was sometimes used as currency for paying city taxes.

Restrictions were relaxed during Christmas, when everyone was allowed to bake gingerbread as often and in any shape they wished. Eventually, German immigrants brought the tradition of gingerbread houses to the United States. With their new freedom, they helped introduce the delicacy to Americans and establish a beloved holiday ritual.