2023 First-Class Forever Stamps,Winter Woodland Animals

US #5822-25
2023 Winter Woodland Animals

• Celebrates the natural beauty of winter and the animals that continue to thrive during this season

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Value:  66¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  October 10, 2023
First Day City:  Woodland, Michigan
Quantity Issued:  290,000,000
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset
Format:  Double-sided Booklets of 20
Tagging:  Phosphor tagged paper, block

Why the stamps were issued:  To showcase the natural beauty of winter and a handful of animal species that can handle the cold and snowy weather.

About the stamp designs:  Each stamp pictures a different woodland animal:  a deer, fox, rabbit, and owl.  They are all pictured in wintery habitats where they might be found in the wild.  Art by Katie Kirk.


First Day City:  The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Woodland Old Town Hall in Woodland, Michigan.

History the stamp represents:  When the weather turns cold and the snow starts to fall, animals everywhere have to find ways to keep warm and fed until spring.  Some fatten themselves up in the summer and fall and hibernate all winter long.  Others remain active.  They use their thick fur coats or downy feathers to keep out the wind and cold while they search for food.  Animals like owls and foxes have keen senses of hearing that allow them to hear prey hiding under more than three feet of snow.  At the same time, animals like deer and rabbits use their great hearing to detect predators sneaking up behind them so they can escape.

These are the real ways animals make it through the winter, but one Ukrainian fairy tale offers a more whimsical view.  It’s called The Mitten and has been retold many times in different languages.  One of the most popular is the English version by children’s author Jan Brett.  The story tells of a little boy who loses a mitten in the snow.  Animal after animal stumbles upon the mitten and snuggles inside to stay warm.  As bigger animals climb inside, the mitten stretches to the max.  Finally, a tiny field mouse causes the bear to sneeze, launching the mitten into the air and scattering all the animals onto the snow.

It's fun to think of the real and imaginary ways animals make it through the winter every year!