US post office releases stamp for Chinese New Year
To commemorate the start of the Chinese New Year, the United States Postal Service announced on January 23 the launch of a unique set of stamps.
The stamp features a dragon, due to this year being the Chinese Year of the Dragon, and can be purchased at local post offices or the postal store website. The stamp can also be viewed on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/USPSStamps.
Stamp enthusiasts have 60 days from January 23 to purchase ‘first day of issue' stamps by mail by sending large envelopes to the following address:
Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon Stamp
Postmaster
180 Steuart Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-9992
The UK postal service, the Royal Mail, also announced the creation of a sheet of first class stamps marking the commencement of the Chinese New Year. The commemorative stamps from the Royal Mail are available to buy at http://goo.gl/2Ec83 priced £9.50 (€11.40) a sheet.
China's editions of a dragon stamp drew criticism among some microbloggers in the country who labelled the dragon on the stamp as "too fierce".
Chinese New Year was celebrated around the world on January 23; the holiday marks the beginning of the Spring Festival in China, a time when residents from around the world travel back to see their families, and is one of the most important holidays in the Chinese calendar year. The Chinese Lunar year runs until February 10, 2013.
