Add nostalgic flair to your holiday letters with these vintage unused Contemporary Christmas "Needlepoint Christmas Tree" 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 8-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!

Purchase includes a total of TWENTY (20) mint condition 8-cent "Needlepoint Christmas Tree" vintage postage stamps shown in the product listing photos.

MORE VINTAGE CHRISTMAS TREE STAMPS:

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"Decorating the Tree" Postage Stamps | Contemporary Christmas Series | Unused USPS Postage 20c | Pack of 10

“Child with Tree” Postage Stamps | Santa and Children Set | Contemporary Christmas Series | Vintage Unused USPS Postage 32c | Pack of 10

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STAMP INFORMATION:

• Name: Needlepoint Christmas Tree
• Series: Contemporary Christmas
• Year Issued: 1973
• Face Value: 8-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Christmas Tree, Christmas Decor, Holidays, Folk Art
• Color(s): Multicolored
• Printing Method: Photogravure
• Scott Number: 1508
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see adhesion instructions below)
• 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 1973 8¢ “Needlepoint Christmas Tree” postage stamp was issued by the U.S. Postal Service on November 7, 1973, in Washington, D.C., as part of that year’s "Contemporary Christmas" series. This delightful and distinctive design celebrated the artistry of American handcrafts—specifically, the domestic tradition of needlepoint embroidery—and reflected the warm, homespun spirit of Christmas in the early 1970s.

The stamp’s design features a stylized Christmas tree rendered entirely in needlepoint, with rows of colorful geometric stitches forming the tree’s green shape, colorful ornaments, and golden star. The background is a rich, textured red, echoing the appearance of woven fabric, and the words “U.S. 8¢ Christmas” appear in simple lettering. The design was based on an actual piece of needlepoint work created by Erna F. Ochs, an accomplished craft artist from New York, whose design was selected by the Postal Service to highlight the beauty and cultural value of handmade holiday art.

Culturally, the Needlepoint Christmas Tree stamp reflected the early 1970s’ renewed appreciation for folk art, traditional crafts, and handmade creativity. During this era, quilting, embroidery, and other domestic art forms were being rediscovered as expressions of heritage and personal meaning. By showcasing a stitched Christmas tree instead of a painted or photographed one, the Postal Service acknowledged the deep human connection between art, home, and the holiday spirit.

The design’s appeal was immediate and enduring. Many Americans recognized in it the warmth of home, the patience of handmade gifts, and the beauty of craftsmanship passed down through generations. It was festive yet humble—brightly colorful, yet deeply personal—and perfectly captured the tactile, heartfelt side of Christmas. Today, the “Needlepoint Christmas Tree” remains one of the most beloved holiday issues of its decade. It stands as a charming tribute not only to the Christmas season but also to the creative spirit of ordinary Americans who, through their hands and hearts, transform simple materials into enduring symbols of love, family, and faith.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: The “Needlepoint Christmas Tree” postage stamp embodies the holiness of creation, devotion, and love made visible through the work of human hands. Though its imagery is secular—a tree rendered in colorful needlepoint—it carries deep symbolic meaning about the sacred nature of craftsmanship, the beauty of patience, and the way that art born of love becomes a quiet act of worship.

The Christmas tree itself has long been a symbol of everlasting life and divine light—an evergreen standing tall in the heart of winter, proclaiming renewal in the midst of stillness. By depicting that tree as a piece of needlepoint, this stamp reimagines the tree not as something found in nature but as something created, lovingly stitched by human hands. Spiritually, this reflects the truth that the divine often manifests through human creativity—that every act of making, when done with care and joy, becomes a mirror of the Creator’s own work.

The needlepoint medium adds a rich layer of symbolism. Stitch by stitch, it represents patience, mindfulness, and devotion, each thread carefully placed to form a greater whole—much like the spiritual life itself, woven day by day through small, deliberate acts of love. The interlacing threads can be seen as the invisible connections binding humanity together, each life a part of the larger tapestry of grace.

The colors—green for life, red for love and sacrifice, and gold for divine light—echo the traditional spiritual palette of Christmas. These hues, carefully stitched into fabric, remind us that spirituality is not separate from the material world—it lives within it, in every small act of kindness, care, and creation. In this way, the Needlepoint Christmas Tree stamp becomes a meditation on the sacredness of ordinary work and everyday art. It honors the domestic and the handmade—the quiet spaces where love is practiced, where time and attention are offered as gifts. It suggests that holiness need not appear in grand gestures or celestial visions, but can be found in the soft rhythm of a needle pulling thread, in the steadfast patience of someone creating beauty for others.

The spiritual significance of the “Needlepoint Christmas Tree” lies in its message that the divine is woven through all acts of love and making. It reminds us that Christmas, at its core, is not only about receiving light but also about creating it—stitch by stitch, word by word, gesture by gesture—until the whole world becomes a tapestry of peace and grace.

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).

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…

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