Commemorative Nutcracker Stamps

Published: December 04, 2008

STOW, OH | MACtac pressure-sensitive adhesive label materials serve as US Postal Service 42-cent first-class stamps to commemorate ornamental and functional nutcrackers that are favorites depicting the Russian ballet to German wood carvings to Western holiday decorations. MACtac supplied the p-s adhesive label materials for nearly 1.5 billion Holiday Nutcracker printed stamps.

Four nutcracker designs include a Santa with a lantern and staff, a king with a jewel-topped crown, a military captain in uniform, and a drummer complete with a red drum and mallets. Custom-designed for USPS, the four nutcrackers were created by Glenn A. Crider, T.R.C. Designs Inc., of Mechanicsville, VA, who based the designs on notes and drawings by Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, CT.

“Nutcrackers have served the functional purpose of splitting nutshells since the third and fourth century B.C., and it wasn’t until the 1400’s that their original design of bronze and iron adapted into the hand-carved and elaborately painted wooden figures primarily used for decoration today,” said Allison Hazel, marketing manager, MACtac Printing Products. “Supplying the labelstock for the Holiday Nutcracker stamps allows MACtac to not only contribute to another aspect of the nutcrackers’ role during the holidays but assist in the busiest card-sending time of the year.” Visit: www.MACtac.com.