Felt Bear on Sleigh Christmas Postage Stamps | Contemporary Christmas Series | Season's Greetings | Teddy Bear & Sled | Vintage Unused USPS Postage 20c

Add playful vintage Christmas charm and nostalgic childhood warmth to your correspondence with these unused vintage Felt Bear on Sleigh postage stamps from the USPS holiday program! Featuring a handmade-style felt teddy bear riding on a bright red sleigh against a snowy winter setting, this cheerful 1981 design evokes childhood Christmas memories, classic toys, sledding, handmade holiday crafts, gift giving, and the excitement of the Christmas season. Perfect for Christmas cards, holiday greetings, teddy bear-themed correspondence, children’s holiday mail, seasonal invitations, gift enclosures, Christmas thank you notes, and other festive mailings, these stamps bring a whimsical and affectionate Christmas touch to your envelopes.

In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp has a postage value of 20-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: Felt Bear on Sleigh
• Stamp Series: Holiday Celebration: Holiday / Contemporary Christmas
• Year Issued: 1981
• Face Value: 20-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Felt Bear on Sleigh, Teddy Bear, Bear, Felt Bear, Toy Bear, Christmas Toy, Sleigh, Sled, Sledding, Snow, Winter, Handmade Christmas, Christmas Crafts, Childhood Christmas, Christmas Gifts, Holiday Gifts, Christmas, Winter Holidays, Holiday Celebration, Contemporary Christmas, Naiad Einsel
• Color(s): Red, Brown, White, Multicolored
• Mailing Occasions: Christmas Cards, Christmas Greetings, Holiday Cards, Holiday Greetings, Teddy Bear-Themed Christmas Mail, Children’s Christmas Correspondence, Toy-Themed Holiday Mail, Winter Holiday Mail, Seasonal Correspondence, Christmas Party Invitations, Gift Enclosures, Christmas Thank You Notes
• Printing Method: Photogravure
• Scott Number: 1940
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see adhesion instructions below)
• Stamp Size: 25 × 40 mm / 0.98 × 1.57 in
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP DESCRIPTION & HISTORY: The 1981 Felt Bear on Sleigh stamp was issued as the secular holiday design for that year’s Christmas mailing season. Designed by Naiad Einsel and modeled for production by Peter Cocci, this stamp depicts a charming felt teddy bear riding on a red sleigh through a snowy winter setting. It was issued on October 28, 1981, in Christmas Valley, Oregon, and printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using photogravure. This stamp was produced in panes of 50 and became one of the most distinctive toy-themed Christmas stamps of the early 1980s.

TEDDY BEARS & CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS: Teddy bears have been beloved children’s toys for more than a century and have long been associated with comfort, affection, childhood, and gift giving. Bears frequently appear beneath Christmas trees, in stockings, on holiday cards, and in seasonal decorations. The handmade felt appearance of the bear on this stamp adds an especially nostalgic quality, recalling handcrafted toys and homemade Christmas decorations.

SLEIGHS, SLEDS & WINTER FUN: Sleds and sleighs are enduring symbols of winter recreation and Christmas tradition. Children sledding down snowy hills, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and Santa’s famous sleigh all contribute to their strong seasonal association. By placing the teddy bear on a bright red sleigh, this stamp combines two familiar childhood images into a cheerful winter scene.

HANDMADE CHRISTMAS & FELT CRAFTS: Felt has long been used for handmade ornaments, stockings, toys, appliqués, and other holiday crafts. Its soft texture and bold colors make it especially suited to whimsical Christmas decorations. The felt bear featured on this stamp evokes the tradition of homemade holiday décor and handcrafted gifts, giving the design a warm, personal quality.

A NON-DENOMINATED CHRISTMAS STAMP: This stamp was unusual because it was issued without a printed numerical denomination. USPS originally prepared the 1981 Christmas stamps while a postal rate change was under consideration, so the denomination was omitted from the design. Although non-denominated, this stamp carried a postage value of 20 cents and included the wording “For U.S. Addresses Only.” It was issued alongside the traditional Madonna and Child Christmas stamp during the transition to the new 20-cent First-Class Mail rate.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The Felt Bear on Sleigh design symbolizes childhood wonder, affection, playfulness, comfort, generosity, creativity, and the joy of giving. The teddy bear represents companionship and warmth, while the sleigh evokes winter adventure and Christmas excitement. Together, the imagery expresses the simple happiness, imagination, and nostalgic traditions that make the holiday season memorable.

STAMP SERIES HISTORY: USPS issued two Christmas designs in 1981: a traditional religious stamp featuring Botticelli’s Madonna and Child and this secular Felt Bear on Sleigh design by Naiad Einsel. Both were issued on October 28, 1981, without printed denominations because a postal rate increase was still being finalized. Each ultimately carried a 20-cent postage value. The playful bear design continued the USPS tradition of offering contemporary Christmas imagery centered on childhood, toys, winter recreation, and family holiday traditions.