(This article has been revised for the holiday season, from its original publication on September 5, 2020)
If you are looking for a special stamp-related gift this holiday season, there are two places to shop: the
USPS gift shop and the
APS StampStore.
At the beginning of 2020, it was reported that
the United States Postal Service would be facing bankruptcy by the end of the year if not for additional aid and structural changes. Over 90% of Americans were surveyed to include the USPS as one of their top government agencies- so it's no surprise that many were concerned by this news and wanting to help- with many beginning social campaigns to buy stamp sheets using the hashtag #SaveUSPS.
As many of our readers know, the
USPS Stamp Store is the best way to get new stamps online- whether for collecting or for regular mail use. Especially as the COVID-19 Pandemic continues, more and more people are relying on it for their stamp purchases. Senior PR Representative for the USPS, Sara Martin, says that "the U.S. Postal Service has observed significantly higher stamp sales through our Stamp Fulfillment Services, particularly through the mobile-friendly online Postal Store on usps.com."
However- not only does the stamp store offer a lot of collectables for philatelists, but many on Twitter are now realizing another great benefit of their online shop- merchandise!
Items do go out of stock quickly, so don't delay. Martin says "Some items are restocked if the demand is there. Some are meant for shorter periods or seasonality."
Here are a few of our favorites (in-stock as of Friday, December 11, 2020).
USPS Mail Truck Glass Ornament
Click to purchase
This holiday ornament adds a little bit of sparkle to the famous USPS Mail Truck. Made from glass, this ornament adds some USPS pride to your holiday decor. This isn't the only ornament in the store- collect Christmas Letter and Santa too!
Holiday Bags
Perhaps you would like to put your holiday gifts in a wonderful reusable bag with a stamp theme! Check out the Winter Berries Holiday bag along with several others that are available.
Puzzles
Puzzles are very popular right now! This 1,000 piece State Greetings Stamps Puzzle is a colorful collection of stamps from all 50 states. The Christmas Stamps Puzzle is also 1,000 pieces.
Earth Day Coasters
This past April, the USPS commemorated the 50th observance of Earth Day, first celebrated on April 22nd, 1970, with a
commemorative Forever stamp. These coasters are made from limestone and are perfect for setting your glass - or reusable water bottle - on!
Marvin Gaye Screen-Printed Poster
The Marvin Gaye commemorative stamp was released in April 2019 to honor the life of the iconic soul singer, who would've turned 80 on that day. The USPS is still offering a variety of commemorative items from this release- including this colorful screen-printed poster.
While some items may sell out temporarily, Martin says the store is always being updated with new items.
In those unfortunate cases when stamps or collectibles sell out for good, be sure to check the APS Stamp Store to find great re-sale items!
Have you purchased any great gifts for yourself or others from the USPS? Be sure to share them with us on Twitter @APS_Stamps!