The United States Year Of The Rat Stamp Part I Of II

Many countries have produced stamps for the “Year of the Rat” and the United States is no different. This stamp is the first in a new series for the United States Postal Service that will run consecutively each year from February 2008 through February 2019. The stamps that will be offered will depict each of the animals that are represented in the Chinese Lunar New Year calendar, over that twelve year span. The Year of the Rat celebrations began on February 7, 2008. The first stamp issued was released on February 8, 2008 and was dedicated in San Francisco, California.

According to Chinese legend, the animals raced across a river to determine their order in the yearly cycle. The rat went across the river on the back of a strong ox and cleverly jumped ahead to win the race at the last minute. Hence the reason that the rat is the first animal represented in the cycle. The start of the Lunar New Year is celebrated by 25 percent of the world’s population. The Lunar New Year is celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tibetan and Mongolian heritages worldwide. In the US, the New Year is often marked by parties and parades, just as the American New Year is celebrated.

Check back on Monday for the conclusion to this post.