The Daily Sun-Up Author Jody Pritzl explores the colorful history of Christmas stamps
Feb 6, 2026
Jody Pritzl, author and Christmas historian behind The December Dilemma, explores the colorful history of holiday postage. She discusses the 1960s origin of Christmas stamps, the artists and designers who shaped their style, and how politics, religion, and committees steered choices. She also recalls collecting stamps, library resources, and quirky writer routines.
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Christmas Stamps Are Surprisingly Modern
- Jody Pritzl discovered there was no U.S. Christmas stamp until 1962, which drove her to research postal archives.
- That late origin reframes Christmas stamps as a modern cultural invention, not a century-old tradition.
Design Shift Marked A Cultural Moment
- From the 1930s to 1950s a handful of engravers dominated U.S. stamp design, shaping a consistent look.
- The 1960s brought younger designers and a stylistic shift that reflected broader cultural change.
Art Used To Navigate Church–State Issues
- The Post Office used fine art reproductions on stamps to sidestep church-state controversies over nativity imagery.
- Presenting religious images as "masterpieces" allowed secular justification for their use.
