USPS first issued a stamp celebrating the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in 2001. This gold-on-blue design was reissued in 2002 (37c), 2006 (39c), 2007 (41c), 2008 (42c) and 2009 (44c).
I think the stamp is an attractive design. Interestingly, it has been the subject of much misinformation and politicization during Obama's presidency (even though it was first issued in the first year of the GW Bush presidency, and even though the president has nothing to do with stamp production whatsoever), as you can read here at factcheck.org.
Even more entertaining is the fact that somehow the Kaleidoscope Flowers stamps (one of my favorite designs, which were only available online in strips of ten cut from the giant coils used for automated stamping of junk mail) have been associated with being issued 'to celebrate Muslim holidays', even though this is not the case, and had a viral email/online campaign against buying them.
The current version, issued in 2013, has a green background.
I'm glad you posted this one (I was planning on using this as well, but cannot find my one Eid stamp). I am attracted to Arabic script more than any other. Though, at first, I admit I was a little confused as I thought it resembled a Christmas tree.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that the stamp had been mistaken for a Christmas tree,but couldn't find the source. Ironic, giventhe other aspect of its controversy.
DeleteSo was my first thought when seeing the gold on green calligraphy: it looks like a special designed spruce.
DeleteMaybe that might be a binding element: as the christmas tree in fact has nothing to do with christianity nor islam, but everything with pre-christian celebrations of life and light, a meaning many people from both religions will welcome, too.
Is there a transcription and translation of the words written in the two different stamp designs?
Thank you for sharing these interesting stamps and the also interesting link to factcheck.
The words on the stamps are عيد مبارك ('eid mubarak'). It can be translated as "happy eid".
DeleteThanks for translating, Eva.
DeleteI received once (or twice) the blue one. I can't believe there is (was?) a campaign against using a stamp!I thought it's a very nice idea that, if you're sending a letter/postcard for a holidays, you can use an appropriate stamp. I like to send my Christmas/New Year postcards with matching stamps...
ReplyDeleteAre they going to issue this stamp again? The design is wonderful!
The 2013 version is still available for sale. As it is a forever stamp, I imagine they will wait until stock is very low to issue a new version.
DeleteInteresting how the different colours alter the perception of the shape.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. I like the gold on red more than on green, although perhaps it looks more striking in person,as gold doesn't show up well online.
DeleteForever has a line through in on the red and green stamps. Does this mean they have lost their forever status. I like the red one best as well but they are an interesting group.
ReplyDeleteThe line through the 'forever' on online images is to prevent fraud. Real stamps would retain their forever status forever... or until the post office changes their definition of forever :)
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