Ottawa - As children, we can't wait for our next birthday...the cake, the party, the presents! As adults, many of us would prefer to forget them, though we enjoy celebrating the birthdays of our friends and families - birthdays are the second largest sending occasion, after Christmas. As well, Canada Post research indicates that 70% of us would prefer to receive a card in the mail for our birthday, instead of an email greeting. On April 3, the post office will issue a special stamp for use on those birthday cards and greetings.
Birthdays are steeped in the customs and traditions of society, some of which date back to pagan times. Over the course of life, a person's birthday often receives special attention - friends and family gather, rooms are decorated, a birthday cake with candles is brought forth, well-wishers sing traditional birthday songs and wishes are made. Presents and greetings are offered and those unable to attend the event send birthday cards bearing special sentiments. Milestone birthdays bring new privileges - the right to vote, the age of majority and the OK to drive, among others.
Canada Post's Never-Forget-A-Birthday-Alert (www.canadapost.ca/birthday) helps Canadians to remember the birthdays of all the important people in their lives. This free, easy to use, reminder service provides users up to two weeks advance notice of an impending special occasion, and this new stamp is the perfect postage for a greeting sent to commemorate the day. The festive nature of this stamp also makes it the perfect postage for any "special occasion" mailing, such as graduation, anniversaries or weddings.
The fun stamp was designed by Designwerke Inc. of Toronto, the firm that did the 2004 Royal Canadian Army Cadet stamp and the 2005 bridges set. Creative director Stephen Boake used brightly-coloured balloons to symbolize the birthday celebration. He notes that, "the closely cropped stamp image is intended to make the viewer feel part of the celebration and the small space gives the impression that the balloons are confined - and about to surprise the recipient." Available for sale at post offices across the country on April 3, the stamp measures 36 mm x 28 mm, and will be sold in a booklet of six stamps. Lowe-Martin printed 10 million of the self-adhesive stamps, using 8-colour lithography on Tullis Russell Coatings paper. The stamp is general tagged on all four sides with a die-cut simple perforation at the top and bottom. The Official First Day Cover will read: OTTAWA, ON.
Additional information about Canadian stamps can be found in the Newsroom section of Canada Post's website, and a downloadable high-resolution photo of the birthday stamp is in the Newsroom's Photo Centre. Stamps and Official First Day Covers will be available at participating post offices, can be ordered online by following the links at Canada Post's website www.canadapost.ca, or by mail-order from the National Philatelic Centre. From Canada and the USA call toll-free: 1-800-565-4362 and from other countries call: (902) 863-6550.
