There's Nothing Half-Baked About These Stamps

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Sep 19, 2026, 12:15 ET

Christmas Cookies Forever stamps now available nationwide

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Postal Service released its Christmas Cookies Forever stamps at a family-friendly event at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

For generations, people have been creating fond memories with the simple act of baking holiday cookies — mixing ingredients, rolling out the dough, choosing just the right cookie cutter, and impatiently waiting for the treats to cool off enough to decorate and eat them.

Like many other Christmas traditions, baking cookies began as part of winter solstice festivals in Europe, Africa and other parts of the world. These food-centric celebrations recognized the changing of the seasons — and no party is complete without dessert! But even as the celebration of Christmas became more widely recognized than solstice ceremonies, the tradition of celebrating with food during the holiday remained a standard practice for many.

By the beginning of the 20th century, baking and decorating Christmas cookies became commonplace in the United States. The habit of leaving cookies for Santa Claus caught on during the Great Depression when parents used the opportunity to teach children about kindness and gratitude. In addition to making memories and leaving treats for the "big guy," cookie swaps — exchanging cookies with friends and family — have also gained in popularity as part of holiday celebrations.

This isn't the first time the Postal Service has included Christmas cookies on its stamps. The sweet treats were featured in 2005 (Holiday Cookies stamps) and again in 2017 (Christmas Carols stamps).

Artwork

Greg Breeding, an art director and designer for USPS, wanted a fun twist on the holiday dessert for the newest contemporary Christmas stamps. After reviewing the latest trends and the work of cookie designers and bakers, he enlisted designer Kyrie Johnson to create, bake and decorate the cookies. Breeding recruited artist Sarah Cramer Shields to photograph them.

However, creating the final product wasn't without its challenges.

"Cookies crumble! The transportation of the cookies from Kyrie to Sarah was nerve-racking. We had a little shuffling of cookies in transit, but we've retouched those little flaws in post-production," Breeding explained.

Starting with the top left stamp image, a Christmas tree decorated with red ribbons, yellow stars and silver ornaments sits on a blue background. The word "forever" runs vertically along the top of the left side, while "usa" runs along the bottom right.

The next stamp features a red background with a cookie in the shape of the face of Santa Claus — with a thick white beard, rosy cheeks and small black eyes — wearing his red cap. The words "forever" and "usa" run along the bottom of the stamp.

On the bottom left is a blue present with holly in the center of a red ribbon "tied" around the package. The words "forever" and "usa" run horizontally at the bottom of the stamp.

The last stamp, on the bottom right, depicts a red stocking on a blue background. The stocking has alternating vertical light blue and green stripes and is topped by white trim. The word "forever" runs vertically along the top left side, and "usa" runs along the bottom right.

The front of the booklet features three of the four cookies on a blue background — the Christmas tree, Santa's face and the stocking. Printed below the image is "Christmas Cookies" and "Twenty First-Class Forever Stamps."

News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #ChristmasCookiesStamps.

The Christmas Cookies stamps are being issued as Forever stamps in booklets of 20. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Christmas Cookies Forever stamps are available at Post Office locations nationwide and on usps.com.

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 select 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.

Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is currently pursuing a transformation plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.