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Today Last Post Christmas stamps can be purchased by many people countries throughout the winter holiday and therefore are employed to put in a little color and cheer to Christmas cards and letters. But wait, how did this tradition start?

In December 1898, Canada issued a 2-cent stamp celebrating the development of imperial penny postage and inscribed with all the words "XMAS 1898." This stamp is normally thought to be our planet's first Christmas stamp, nonetheless it wasn't actually released to celebrate the holiday season. Instead, as legend goes, Postmaster William Mulock suggested to Queen Victoria the stamp should be released in November "to honor the Prince" (meaning the Prince of Wales). When the queen showed obvious displeasure using the idea and asked which prince he was speaking about, Mulock quickly answered, "Why, the Prince of Peace, ma'am". So when the stamp was issued in December, it bore not just the image of the world map, but also the words "XMAS 1898" at the bottom with the stamp.



It had not been until nearly 4 decades later that another country issued a Christmas stamp. Now the united states was Austria. In 1937, it issued two stamps billed as "Christmas Greeting Stamps," but neither had a Christmas theme. One showed a zodiac sign and yet another one depicted a rose. Brazil was next in line, issuing four semi-postal stamps in 1939, and Hungary followed suit which has a semi-postal stamp in 1941. Semi-postal stamps are ones which are sold across the stamp's value to increase money for a specific cause.

So it wasn't until 1943 that Hungary issued the very first Christmas-themed stamp which was sold specifically as being a holiday stamp. Now many nations of the world issue postage stamps using a Christmas theme which might be meant for use on seasonal mail.

The 1st Christmas stamp from the usa came was obviously a 4-cent stamp issued in 1962. The pin and red stamp featured a wreath, two candles, along with the words "Christmas 1962". The postal service anticipated a massive interest in the newest stamp and ordered 350 million printed, the largest number ever produced up to that point to get a special stamp. Nevertheless it wasn't enough. In the event the initial supply quickly ran out your Bureau of Engraving and Printing began working around the clock to print more. By the end of the season, one billion in the first Christmas Postage Costs stamps were printed and distributed.