P is for Poinsettia
Having skipped issuing a global Christmas stamp for the last few years, USPS issued one in October featuring a poinsettia, also known as Christmas Star. These decorative plants are a fixture of the December holidays in the USA, and come in red and white varieties. They are native to Mexico, where they were used by Aztecs to obtain red dye.
Are poinsettias part of the holiday decorations in your country?
I used it to send a Canadian fast-food related trashpo mini-book to Mail Art Martha, along with a related postcard.
For more P stamps to ponder, head over to the links at Sunday Stamps.
Nice stamp. Yes poinsettia are popular here too at Christmas, I prefer the paper ones because I never know what to do with the living plant when it loses its leaves. I know you are supposed to put it in the dark or something but my house plant credentials are rather mixed to say the least.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the report! I actually don't like them much myself, so never have them.
DeleteI don't mind seeing them in public spacers, but not in my home (the leaf falling thing is really annoying). I prefer my amaryllis.
ReplyDeletethe Cdn trashpo is funny :)
Tim Hortons squashed cup - quintessentially Canadian.
DeleteIn Spain, we also associate poinsettias with Christmas, too. I don't know if this is a very old tradition. You always finish having one or two at home, because sometimes you even get them free with your Christmas shopping. But usually they die after a short time, because this isn't the good climate for them, I guess. Except my Mum's, which is alive and flowering after some years!
ReplyDeleteThe stamp is nice, and it's perfect for the Canadian envelope.
Thanks for the info, I don't remember seeing them in the UK.
DeleteOui on voit beaucoup de poinsettia ou étoile de noël pendant les fêtes mais nous préférons un joli bouquet de houx ou une belle jacinthe beaucoup moins fragile ! Le timbre est vraiment joli !
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info - I also think holly looks nice. I have never had to take care of a poinsettia, so didn't;t know they were fragile.
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