Poinsettia Postage Stamps | Third Christmas Issue | Nochebuena | Mexican Inspired Christmas | Vintage Unused USPS Postage 5c

Add bold mid-century Christmas color and one of the holiday season’s most recognizable flowers to your correspondence with these unused vintage Poinsettia postage stamps from the USPS Third Christmas Issue! Featuring a vivid red poinsettia with green foliage, this festive 1964 design evokes Christmas flowers, Nochebuena, Mexican holiday traditions, winter decorating, seasonal plants, and classic red-and-green Christmas color. Perfect for Christmas cards, holiday greetings, winter correspondence, seasonal invitations, gift enclosures, Christmas thank you notes, and other festive mailings, these stamps bring a warm and unmistakably traditional Christmas touch to your envelopes.

In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp holds a face value of 5-cents. These authentic USPS postage stamps are suitable for current mailing when used with the total required postage based on the weight of your mailing.

STAMP INFORMATION:

• Stamp Name: Poinsettia
• Stamp Series: Third Christmas Issue
• Year Issued: 1964
• Face Value: 5-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Poinsettia, Christmas Poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Nochebuena, Flor de Nochebuena, Christmas Flower, Holiday Flower, Red Flower, Red Plant, Christmas Plants, Holiday Plants, Mexico, Mexican Christmas, Mexican Holiday Traditions, Christmas Greenery, Winter Flora, Christmas Decorations, Holiday Decorations, Traditional Christmas, Christmas Symbols, Joel Roberts Poinsett, Third Christmas Issue, Se-Tenant Stamps, Mid-Century Christmas, Thomas F. Naegele
• Color(s): Carmine, Green, Black
• Mailing Occasions: Christmas Cards, Christmas Greetings, Holiday Cards, Holiday Greetings, Winter Holiday Mail, Mexican Christmas Correspondence, Nochebuena Greetings, Seasonal Correspondence, Christmas Party Invitations, Holiday Party Invitations, Gift Enclosures, Christmas Thank You Notes, Winter Correspondence, Everyday Holiday Mail
• Printing Method: Giori Press
• Scott Number: 1256
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see adhesion instructions below)
• Stamp Size: 33 × 26 mm / 1.30 × 1.02 in
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP DESCRIPTION & HISTORY: The 1964 Poinsettia stamp was issued as one of four 5-cent Christmas designs in the USPS Third Christmas Issue, together with Holly, Mistletoe, and Sprig of Conifer. Designed by Thomas F. Naegele, the stamp depicts the traditional Christmas poinsettia in carmine, green, and black. The issue was released on November 9, 1964, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using the Giori Press. The four designs were printed together in se-tenant format, making them the first U.S. postage stamps issued with multiple different designs together on the same regular stamp sheet.

ABOUT POINSETTIAS: The Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is native to Mexico and Central America and is famous for the brilliant red bracts that surround its much smaller yellow flowers. The plant became associated with Christmas because its colorful display occurs naturally during the winter season. Poinsettias can grow as substantial shrubs or small trees in their native climate, although they are most familiar in the United States as potted holiday plants used in homes, churches, businesses, and seasonal displays.

POINSETTIAS, MEXICO, AND NOCHEBUENA: The Poinsettia has especially deep associations with Mexico, where it is commonly known as Flor de Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve flower. Its red-and-green appearance made it a natural part of Christmas-season decorating, and traditions connecting the plant with Christmas developed in Mexico centuries before it became a commercial holiday favorite in the United States. The plant’s American name honors Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. minister to Mexico, who helped introduce the plant to the United States during the 19th century.

POINSETTIAS AND CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS: Poinsettias have become one of the most recognizable floral symbols of Christmas. Their brilliant red bracts and deep green leaves naturally match traditional Christmas colors, and the plants are widely used in holiday displays, church decorations, table arrangements, wreaths, and seasonal floral designs. Their strong connection to Nochebuena and Mexican Christmas traditions also gives poinsettia imagery special relevance for holiday correspondence celebrating Mexican heritage and culture.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The Poinsettia design can symbolize celebration, goodwill, renewal, joy, hope, and the warmth of the Christmas season. Its star-like arrangement of red bracts has also acquired Christian associations with the Star of Bethlehem, while its red coloration can suggest love and sacrifice. For Christmas and winter holiday correspondence, the design offers a vibrant expression of seasonal faith, generosity, warmth, and festive tradition.

STAMP SERIES HISTORY: The USPS Third Christmas Issue was released on November 9, 1964, as four different 5-cent Christmas designs featuring Holly, Mistletoe, Poinsettia, and Sprig of Conifer. Designed by Thomas F. Naegele, the four stamps were printed together in se-tenant format, establishing an important milestone in U.S. postal history. Issued in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the stamps used green, carmine, and black to present four familiar plants associated with Christmas and winter holiday traditions.