# 5090 - 2016 First-Class Forever Stamp - Colorful Celebrations: Violet with Two White Birds and a Flower
US #5090
2016 Violet Birds & Flower – 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 rose pink papel picado (Spanish for pierced paper) designed by Sally Andersen-Bruce. The stamp pictures geometric shapes and flowers. It can be differentiated from US #5087 by the different style of birds and the fact that the flower design is in the center and has a different design.
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: Every fall, homes and streets in Mexico are decorated with papel picado featuring skulls and skeletons. These works of art are part of the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebration.
The festival’s roots date back 3,000 years to the Aztecs, who believed we should not grieve the loss of loved ones. Instead, they celebrated the lives of the dearly departed, and welcomed their spirits. As the Spanish Catholics arrived, the tradition was combined with All Saints’ Day and became the Day of the Dead.
A central part of the festivities is the altar, which honors the deceased. These altars are adorned with papel picado in a variety of colors. Each has special significance: red paper symbolizes the blood of Jesus, humans, and animals. Yellow and orange represent marigolds and the Sun. White expresses purity and hope, while pink is used for celebrations. Purple paper represents mourning, and black is for the land of the dead. The designs usually picture skeletons in a variety of poses – smiling, dancing, drinking, getting married, and playing instruments.
As the celebrations end, this delicate tissue paper falls apart, symbolizing the cycle of life. Despite the effort that goes into these works of art, they are just temporary. But the joy they bring to those who created and hang them can last much longer.
US #5090
2016 Violet Birds & Flower – 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 rose pink papel picado (Spanish for pierced paper) designed by Sally Andersen-Bruce. The stamp pictures geometric shapes and flowers. It can be differentiated from US #5087 by the different style of birds and the fact that the flower design is in the center and has a different design.
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: Every fall, homes and streets in Mexico are decorated with papel picado featuring skulls and skeletons. These works of art are part of the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebration.
The festival’s roots date back 3,000 years to the Aztecs, who believed we should not grieve the loss of loved ones. Instead, they celebrated the lives of the dearly departed, and welcomed their spirits. As the Spanish Catholics arrived, the tradition was combined with All Saints’ Day and became the Day of the Dead.
A central part of the festivities is the altar, which honors the deceased. These altars are adorned with papel picado in a variety of colors. Each has special significance: red paper symbolizes the blood of Jesus, humans, and animals. Yellow and orange represent marigolds and the Sun. White expresses purity and hope, while pink is used for celebrations. Purple paper represents mourning, and black is for the land of the dead. The designs usually picture skeletons in a variety of poses – smiling, dancing, drinking, getting married, and playing instruments.
As the celebrations end, this delicate tissue paper falls apart, symbolizing the cycle of life. Despite the effort that goes into these works of art, they are just temporary. But the joy they bring to those who created and hang them can last much longer.