Contemporary Christmas “Building a Snowman” Stamps (Seasons Greetings, Holiday, Winter, Snowing) Unused USPS Postage 20c

Add nostalgic flair to your holiday letters with these vintage unused Contemporary Christmas "Building a Snowman" postage stamps! This nostalgic holiday design is perfect for adding a touch of class to your holiday cards and letters or winter save-the-dates and wedding invitations. In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp holds a face value of 20-cents. These USPS postage stamps are suitable for current mailing when used with the total required postage based on the weight of your correspondence. Embrace the charm of winter with this enchanting postage stamp!

STAMP INFORMATION:

• Name: Building a Snowman
• Series: Contemporary Christmas
• Year Issued: 1982
• Face Value: 20-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Snowman, Christmas, Holidays, Winter, Children, Playing, Snowing, Season’s Greetings
• Color(s): White, Multicolored
• Printing Method: Photogravure
• Scott Number: 2028
• Adhesion Type: Gummed
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP HISTORY: The 1982 20-cent “Building a Snowman” postage stamp was issued by the U.S. Postal Service on October 28, 1982, in Snow, Oklahoma — an aptly chosen location that perfectly captured the wintry charm of the design. It was part of the “Season’s Greetings” series within the “Contemporary Christmas” issues, which emphasized secular, joyful imagery of wintertime rather than overtly religious scenes. This approach reflected the Postal Service’s growing effort during the late 20th century to offer inclusive holiday stamps that celebrated the universal spirit of the season — warmth, playfulness, and togetherness.

The stamp was designed by Dolli Tingle, an artist celebrated for her bright, nostalgic depictions of childhood and Americana. Her design for this issue portrays five cheerful children bundled in colorful winter clothing — scarves, mittens, and hats — joyfully building a snowman. The children are accompanied by two dogs, adding to the sense of playful motion and companionship. The snowman itself, positioned near the center, wears a broad smile, a dark hat, and a red scarf. The background shows softly falling snow and a pale blue winter sky, giving the composition a sense of gentle stillness and lighthearted peace.

As part of a four-stamp se-tenant set, “Building a Snowman” appeared alongside three other designs by Tingle — “Decorating a Christmas Tree,” “Children Sledding,” and “Ice Skating.” Together, these stamps form a continuous celebration of winter joy and the innocence of childhood, capturing scenes of laughter and shared creativity that transcend time and place.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The 1982 20-cent “Building a Snowman” postage stamp carries a quietly radiant spiritual significance, celebrating the holiness found in joy, cooperation, and the innocence of shared creation. While it is outwardly a simple scene of children at play, its imagery reflects profound spiritual truths: that life’s deepest meaning often reveals itself through small acts of togetherness, and that creativity, laughter, and love are sacred expressions of the divine spirit within humanity.

At the heart of the image are five children working in harmony, building a snowman beneath a soft winter sky. Their collaboration represents the unity of spirit and the beauty of cooperation, mirroring the way all creation is built through connection — not by a single hand, but through the joining of many hearts. Spiritually, this evokes the idea that we are co-creators with the divine: each gesture of kindness, each shared joy, adds shape and warmth to the world around us, just as each child’s touch of snow brings the snowman to life.

The snow itself is a powerful spiritual symbol. Its whiteness conveys purity and peace, blanketing the world in silence and renewal. Snow transforms the familiar into something sacred and still, reminding us that grace often comes through stillness and simplicity. The children, playing within this landscape, embody the childlike spirit of wonder and openness that many spiritual traditions hold as the purest state of being — a consciousness free from cynicism, alive with imagination and gratitude.

The snowman, smiling and adorned with human touches — a hat, scarf, and eyes of coal — becomes a symbol of transformation and impermanence. Formed from snow, destined to melt, it reflects the spiritual truth that all creation is fleeting yet meaningful. The act of building the snowman — knowing it will one day vanish — is itself a lesson in presence and love without attachment, a joyful offering to the moment rather than an attempt to possess it.

The dogs included in the scene deepen this symbolism. Representing loyalty, playfulness, and unconditional love, they remind us that the divine often expresses itself through companionship and simple joy. Together, the animals and children create an image of harmony between all living beings — a small, earthly reflection of heaven’s peace.

Ultimately, the spiritual message of the “Building a Snowman” stamp is one of unity, presence, and sacred play. It teaches that spirituality need not always be solemn or distant; it can be found in laughter, creativity, and shared acts of love. The stamp invites us to remember that every joyful collaboration, every moment of creation — even one as fleeting as a snowman on a winter afternoon — is a prayer made visible, a reminder that the divine lives in the warmth of human hearts working together beneath the quiet beauty of the world.

GUMMED STAMPS: These postage stamps have a traditional moisture-activated gum on the back. These stamps require licking or wetting to adhere to envelopes or other surfaces. To ensure good adhesion, apply vintage gummed stamps to your mailings with a glue stick (we recommend using Elmer's "Re-Stick" glue sticks).

GENUINE USPS POSTAGE: These unused vintage postage stamps are perfectly valid for use as current postage for mailing with USPS as long as you use the adequate amount of postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates at USPS.com.

QUESTIONS? We love hearing from our customers and replies to inquires are usually answered the same day. Need more of this stamp? Looking for a particular stamp not found on our website? Want a curated postage set for your special event? Contact us with questions about vintage postage stamps and our services…

TELL YOUR STORY IN STAMPS: We’ve worked with hundreds of couples and their stationers to custom design highly stylized personalized postage sets based on our customer’s life stories. We can help you curate personalized vintage postage sets to commemorate your save-the-date, wedding, shower, announcement, and other special occasions in a truly unique fashion. Drawing on our encyclopedic knowledge of every stamp ever issued by the USPS, and sourcing from our extensive inventory of collectable unused vintage stamps, we’ll help you tell your unique story in stamps!

ABOUT HERITAGE POST HOUSE: Jennifer Kramer is the founder of Heritage Post House, a boutique vintage postage house located in Northern California. Jennifer sources the most beautiful unused vintage postage stamps ever issued by USPS and artfully arranges them into curated postage sets that are sure to add a special touch to your invitations, announcements, and special mailings. In addition to creating pre-arranged postage sets, Jennifer also works with couples (and their stationers) to create one-of-a-kind custom postage arrangements for wedding invitations, save the dates, and other special occasions.

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