Piñatas! Forever Stamps

Value: 66oz First Class Mail Rate (Forever) First Day of Issue: September 8, 2023 First Day City: Roswell, New Mexico Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. Printing Method: Offset Format: Double-sided Booklets of 20 The USPS issued the stamp to commemorate the tradition of piatas in Mexican culture. The stamp design features colorful digital illustrations of traditional piata designs, including donkeys and seven-point stars. The artwork is by Victor Melndez. The First Day of Issue Ceremony took place in Roswell, New Mexico, during the 36th annual Piata Festival. Piatas are a popular feature at celebrations, bringing joy with their bright colors, fun shapes, and treats inside. In 2023, the USPS released a set of four Stamps depicting traditional Mexican piatas. The star and donkey are the most popular piata shapes in Mexico, introduced in the 1500s by Spanish missionaries. These missionaries used piatas to connect with the locals, incorporating shapes representing aspects of the Nativity. The star symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem and the seven deadly sins, while the donkey represents the burro Mary rode to the manger. Early piatas were clay pots adorned with colorful feathers and paper, filled with fruit and sugar cane. Over time, cardboard and papier-mach replaced clay pots. Today, most piatas are filled with candy but can include toys, fruit, or other items. Since 2006, Mexico's Museum of Folk Art has hosted an annual piata contest celebrating their history and artistry. The museum also conducts piata workshops and features piatas in its permanent collections. In 2022, Philadelphia built the world's largest piata, standing 61 feet tall, 60 feet long, 23 feet wide, and holding 8,000 pounds of candy!