Hope, Joy and Peace
When we think of Christmas, many things come to mind: beautifully wrapped presents, family gatherings and, of course, the reason why we celebrate this special day at all—a babe lying in a manger some 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem. The manger, or nativity scene, is one of the most widely recognized symbols of Christmas.
What is a symbol exactly? It’s a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. Can you think of any symbols? Here are some examples: a balance (scale) represents justice; five interlocking rings symbolize the Olympic Games; a light bulb represents an idea.
In 2007, three religious symbols—the manger, the dove and the angel—played a big role in a three-stamp issue called Christmas: Hope, Joy and Peace. A PERMANENT™ stamp at the domestic rate (52¢) features a nativity scene full of hope; the U.S. rate (93¢) stamp shows a joyful trumpeting angel; and the international rate stamp ($1.55) portrays a dove of peace.
The original artwork used for each of the stamps was created in different media. The nativity scene was created on a computer, but made to look like woodcut art; the angel stamp was designed from three oil paintings; and the dove was created as a paper sculpture.
Although each stamp has a different look, they do share something in common—they’re symbolic of the true meaning of Christmas.
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