First Day of Issue Ceremony: Hanukkah

The U.S. Postal Service is celebrating the joyous holiday of Hanukkah with a new Forever stamp. Also called the Festival of Lights, the holiday spans eight days and nights, and is celebrated by Jewish people around the world.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Hanukkah stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HanukkahStamp.

With the release of this new stamp, the Postal Service celebrates the joyous holiday of Hanukkah with a charming image of a hanukkiah, the nine-branch candelabra used during the holiday.

The first night of Hanukkah begins with the ceremonial lighting of the hanukkiah. After the lighting of the candles, some families play games, sing songs and eat fried foods to celebrate the miracle of the oil.

Antonio Alcalá, the stamp’s art director and designer, created the ink drawing using irregular lines to suggest a more human presence. He completed the image by digitally adding blue to the stamp background and white to the hanukkiah. The flames are rendered in yellow.