We are welcoming in the new year with 2026 Year of the Horse Forever Stamps. They arrive on February 3rd. It is the 7th of the 12 planned in the current USPS Lunar New Year stamp series. It is part of their third series of Lunar New Year stamps running from 2020 to 2031.

The First Day of Issue will be on February 3, 2026, in Houston, Texas. They are available for pre-order at The Postal Store SKU # 487904, priced at 78 cents each; they are sold in sheets of 20 for $15.60.

Additionally, for pre-ordering, it includes themed Stamp & Send Notecards, a first-day cover, a Matted Stamp, and Digital Color Postmark, and Stamp Pin with Cancellation Card. 

We can view their entire collection here.

POSTMARKS!

Finally, I sent out most of the New Year’s cards today. We had them hand-canceled at the Post Office.  Thank you to Vicki for calling my attention to the Post Office change in postmarks. I’ll have more on postmarks and why hand cancels in my next post. In the meantime, they have a blurb on it at USPS Postmarking your Mail, 

With the new year, I hope this finds you well and staying warm with our current weather!

Our family dog Cooper (who turns 10 in April!) has been anticipating snow all day. Now that it’s here, he is tentatively exploring a bit. It is worth noting, we live near the beach, a less than 5 minute drive, so for it to be currently 18F degrees and having snow falling, is cold for us. 

Here’s to a Happy New Year 2026! See you back here soon.