Add nostalgic tropical flair to your holiday letters with these vintage unused Christmas Wreaths Series "Chili Pepper Wreath" 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 weddings. In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp holds a face value of 32-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 the tropics with this enchanting vintage postage stamp!

Purchase includes a total of TEN (10) mint condition 32-cent "Chili Pepper Wreath" vintage postage stamps shown in the product listing photos.

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STAMP INFORMATION:

• Name: Chili Pepper Wreath
• Series: Christmas Wreaths
• Face Value: 32-cents (USD) per stamp
• Year Issued: 1998
• Topic(s): Christmas Decor, Holiday Decor, Holidays, Winter Wedding, Chili Peppers, Decor, Mexican Winter Wedding, Southwestern Winter Wedding
• Color(s): Red, White
• Printing Method: Lithographed
• Scott Number: 3251
• Adhesion Type: Self-adhesive
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

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 an adequate amount of additional postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates on the USPS website.

STAMP HISTORY: The 1998 32¢ “Chili Pepper Wreath” postage stamp was issued by the U.S. Postal Service on October 23, 1998, as part of the “Christmas Wreaths” series, a colorful four-stamp set celebrating the regional diversity of American holiday traditions.
All four stamps were designed by artist Lou Nolan, whose warm, painterly style captured the individuality and festive beauty of each regional wreath. The Chili Pepper Wreath, representing the American Southwest, honors the distinctive ways in which communities across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and the desert regions of California infuse local color and tradition into Christmas celebrations.

The Chili Pepper Wreath design depicts a circular arrangement of red chili peppers intertwined with dried straw. These wreaths—common throughout the Southwest—are inspired by the ristras, or strings of drying chili peppers traditionally hung near homes and kitchens as symbols of hospitality, abundance, and protection. During the holidays, these ristras were often shaped into wreaths, blending regional folk art with the broader Christmas symbolism of welcome and renewal.

The 1998 “Christmas Wreaths” series was conceived as a celebration of America’s cultural and geographic diversity, illustrating how the shared holiday spirit expresses itself differently across regions. Instead of a single, universal design, the Postal Service showcased four wreaths—each made from local materials and traditions—reflecting the creativity, warmth, and inclusiveness of American holiday customs.

The Chili Pepper Wreath, in particular, symbolized the vitality and warmth of Southwestern celebrations, where light, color, and food play central roles. The red chili peppers recall both the fire of hearth and home and the sacred flame of life—a reminder that even in arid landscapes, beauty and abundance can flourish.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The 1998 32¢ “Chili Pepper Wreath” stamp from the "Christmas Wreaths" series embodies the radiant energy of warmth, vitality, and sacred joy—the fire of the human spirit that continues to burn brightly even in the barren places of the world. Rooted in the rich traditions of the American Southwest, this wreath is more than a decoration; it is a circle of light and protection, a living symbol of gratitude, community, and the enduring presence of life amid the desert’s stillness.

The wreath itself, as in all cultures, carries deep spiritual meaning: a circle without beginning or end, representing eternity, unity, and the cycles of nature and spirit. But here, the chili peppers infuse that timeless form with a distinctly Southwestern spirituality—one that honors the sacred energy of fire as both creative and purifying. The peppers’ bright red color symbolizes divine passion, love, and life-force energy, echoing the heart’s flame that sustains us through darkness. They are reminders that warmth and vitality are forms of grace—that even in the most arid places, the spirit can burn with color and purpose.

In the spiritual traditions of the Southwest, including Indigenous, Hispanic, and folk-Catholic practices, chili peppers and their wreath-like arrangements (ristras) are seen as blessings of abundance and protection. Hung near the home, they invoke both sustenance and safety, warding off negative energies and welcoming good fortune. Transposed into Christmas symbolism, this becomes profoundly meaningful: the chili pepper wreath represents the hearth of the soul, the living flame of divine love that protects, nourishes, and unites all who gather in its light.

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 an adequate amount of additional postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates on the USPS website.

PROCESSING & SHIPPING: Orders are typically processed and shipped within 1-3 business days of placing your order. All orders are shipped from California — please allow additional time for transit.

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…

VISIT MY MINTED STORE: https://www.minted.com/store/heritageposthouse

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.


Product Specifications

Length: 1 in.
Height: 0.01 in.
Width: 0.87 in.
Weight: 0.01 lbs.