US #5086
2016 Orange Flowers – Colorful Celebrations
- One of 10 designs meant to be used to send celebratory mail
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Colorful Celebrations
Value: 47¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: June 3, 2016
First Day City: New York, New York
Quantity Issue... more
US #5086
2016 Orange Flowers – Colorful Celebrations
- One of 10 designs meant to be used to send celebratory mail
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Colorful Celebrations
Value: 47¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: June 3, 2016
First Day City: New York, New York
Quantity Issued: 100,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset, Microprint
Format: Double-sided Booklets of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper, block
Why the stamp was issued: Intended to celebrate all manner of festive occasions.
About the stamp designs: Features an image of a piece of orange papel picado (Spanish for pierced paper) designed by Sally Andersen-Bruce. The stamp pictures geometric shapes and flowers.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the World Stamp Show in New York City.
About the Colorful Celebrations set: 10 stamps picturing Spanish papel picado (pierced paper) designs in different colors (light blue, orange, violet, or rose pink). Intended to celebrate a wide variety of occasions one might send mail for.
History the stamp represents: Hanging over altars, from ceilings, and between buildings, papel picado adds a festive pop of color to many Mexican celebrations. And the colors of these decorative paper banners are just as important as the designs carved into them.
Different celebrations call for different designs and color schemes. For instance, at celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary (also known as La Virgen de Guadalupe), papel picado decorations are often sky blue, pink, and white. But, for Our Lady of Guadalupe Day, a religious festival honoring the Virgin Mary on December 12, papel picado shows the colors of the Mexican flag – red, white, and green. Those are also the colors used for Mexico’s Independence Day, September 16.
The Mexican people honor a number of patron saints during the year. At their celebrations, papel picado is usually white and yellow. For Easter, papel picado flies in a variety of shades of purple. Purple, as well as vibrant pink and orange, are the key colors used during Day of the Dead festivities. For Christmas and non-religious celebrations, papel picado banners are a rainbow of colors.
An integral part of any celebration, colorful papel picado helps keep Mexican tradition alive.
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