US #5817
2023 Santa Claus – Snow Globes
- Celebrates the popularity and whimsy of snow globes
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Snow Globes
Value: 66¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: September 19, 2023
First Day City: Breckenridge, Colorado
Quantity Issued: 550,000,000<... more
US #5817
2023 Santa Claus – Snow Globes
- Celebrates the popularity and whimsy of snow globes
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Snow Globes
Value: 66¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: September 19, 2023
First Day City: Breckenridge, Colorado
Quantity Issued: 550,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Double-sided Booklets of 20
Tagging: Nonphosphored type III, block tagged
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate the holiday season.
About the stamp design: Pictures an oil painting of a Santa Claus snow globe on a blue background. Artwork by Gregory Manchess.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena in Breckenridge, Colorado.
About the Snow Globes set: Includes four different designs picturing oil paintings by Gregory Manchess. Each stamp pictures a snow globe with a different holiday symbol inside: a snowman, Santa Claus, a deer, and a Christmas tree.
History the stamp represents: It’s hard to resist shaking a snow globe to see the magical scene inside come to life. Watching the small flakes swirl and slowly fall creates a sense of wonder and joy.
Early snow globe manufacturers experimented with different materials to create the perfect effect. The snow, or “flitter” as it’s called, was made from chips of bone or porcelain, sand, or saw dust. Some manufacturers also used minerals, rubber, wax, or rice. Over time, other materials including gold foil and flakes of soap that wouldn’t break down in the water. Glitter also became popular, and today, many use small pieces of white plastic for the “snow.”
The liquid used in snow globes has evolved over time as well. Some early snow globes used a light oil. Other manufacturers using water added antifreeze and glycerol to keep the glass globes from freezing and breaking during shipping. The glycerol also helped the snow to fall more slowly. While early snow globes were all made of glass, many modern ones are made of plastic, so they often use only water as the liquid.
Modern additions to snow globes also include lights, music, and even motors to move the snow. But even without those flashy additions, the most basic snow globes are magical worlds we can hold in our hands.
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