Announced by the USPS on June 29^th

Since 1962, contemporary Christmas stamps have added cheer to holiday cards and letters. This year’s issuance celebrates a favorite holiday pastime: baking and decorating Christmas cookies. Featuring four sugar cookies, each with distinct decorations, the stamps were designed by Kyrie Johnson — who also baked the cookies — and Greg Breeding, a USPS art director. Sarah Cramer Shields was the photographer.

These stamps will be issued September 19 in Washington, DC.

(Earlier (February 18): The Virtual Stamp Club has learned that this year’s contemporary Christmas stamps will depict some holiday treats and be issued in September. We’ll post details when they become available.)

The latest information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated August 27^th:
From the Postal Bulletin:

On September 19, 2026, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Christmas Cookies stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 686100). These stamps will go on sale nationwide September 19, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Four new designs in this booklet of 20 stamps celebrate the Christmas season. Each stamp features a colorful, decorated sugar cookie in the shape of either a Christmas tree, a stocking, a wrapped present, or Santa’s face. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with cookie baker and decorator Kyrie Johnson. Sarah Cramer Shields photographed the cookies.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by January 19, 2027.

FDOI – Christmas Cookies Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Christmas Cookies Stamps
Item Number: 686100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 19, 2026, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Kyrie Johnson, Norfolk, VA
Photographer: Sarah Cramer Shields, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 450,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7700 x 1.0500 in. / 19.5580 x 26.6700 mm.
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.9100 x 1.1900 in. / 23.1140 x 30.2260 mm.
Booklet Size (w x h): 5.7430 x 2.3750 in. / 145.8720 x 60.3250 mm.
Plate Size: 800 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: Christmas Cookies • Twenty First-Class™ Forever® Stamps • © 2026 USPS in peel strip area • Barcode • USPS logo • Promotional text • Plate number in peel strip area

Updated August 20^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.11″ x 1.48″ There is not a Pictorial Postmark for this issue, just the FDOI “Killer Bars.”

Updated August 4^th:

[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Christmas Cookie Stamp Designs for the Holidays

What: Sweet, sugar-frosted stamps will be available for holiday greetings this year.

This booklet of 20 Christmas Cookies Forever stamps includes images of four frosted sugar cookies appearing on alternating red and blue backgrounds.

Greg Breeding, art director and designer for USPS; designer Kyrie Johnson; and artist Sarah Cramer Shields created the booklet from photographs of sugar cookies baked by Johnson.

The Christmas Cookies Forever stamps will be part of a free, public, family-friendly celebration at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Retail sales and first-day-of-issue postmarks will be available. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #ChristmasCookiesStamps.

When: Saturday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m. ET

Where:
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
2 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/christmascookiesstamps.

Background: Baked goods are synonymous with holiday celebrations, and these stamps capture the sweet tradition beautifully. The four separate images depict a Christmas tree, a stocking, a wrapped present, and Santa’s face. These stamps are part of a history of contemporary Christmas designs issued by the Postal Service since 1962. Christmas cookies have previously appeared on stamps in 2005 and 2017.

Postal Products: Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.

Announced by the USPS on June 29^th:

The new holiday Global stamp features a snowy, decorated wreath, a wintertime symbol associated with the festivities of the season. Showcasing a soft color palette, the wreath was created from artificial branches and craft-store materials by photographer Natalia Kostikova, who painted the decorative ornaments and sprayed the wreath with baking soda to simulate snow. The stamp was designed by Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS.

The stamp will be issued September 18th in Humble Texas with a local ceremony.

(From February 18: The Virtual Stamp Club has learned that a a new round Global Forever stamp will be issued in September. We’ll post details when they become available.)

The latest information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated August 20^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 3.0″ x 1.50″

There is not a pictorial B&W postmark for this issue, just the FDOI “killer bars.”

Updated August 18^th:
On September 18, 2026, in Humble, TX, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Winter Wreath Global Forever® International rate stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Item 582600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide September 18, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

Intended for international mail, this Global stamp features a snowy, decorated wreath. This stamp can be used to mail a 1-ounce letter to any country to which First-Class Mail International® service is available. As with all Global stamps, this stamp will have a postage value equivalent to the price of the single-piece First-Class Mail International 1-ounce machineable letter in effect at the time of use. The wreath was created from artificial branches and craft-store materials by photographer Natalia Kostikova. Greg Breeding served as art director.

No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by January 18, 2027.

FDOI – Winter Wreath Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Winter Wreath Stamp
Item Number: 582600
Denomination & Type of Issue: Global Forever International Rate
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 18, 2026, Humble, TX 77338
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Natalia Kostikova
Modeler: Daryl DeMont
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 2221 C Blue, PMS 4218 C Gray
Stamp Orientation: Round
Image Area (w x h): 1.2000 x 1.2000 in. / 30.4800 x 30.4800 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 1.4100 x 1.4100 in. / 35.8140 x 35.8140 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.5000 x 4.0900 in. / 215.9000 x103.8860 mm.
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in all four corners of pane
Back: © 2026 USPS • USPS logo • Ten barcodes (582600) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text