FOR AULD LANG SYNE
USPS dedicates Year of the Rat stamp

From left, Stamp Services Manager David Failor, former president of the Organization of Chinese Americans Claudine Cheng and USPS Governor Katherine Tobin.

The rat is the first of 12 animals associated with the observance of the Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year. According to legend, the animals raced across a river to fix their order in the calendar cycle that East Asians have observed for centuries. The industrious rodent crossed the river by riding on the back of the ox, jumping ahead at the last minute to win the race.

Postal officials and guests gathered January 9 near San Francisco’s Chinatown on the eve of The Year of the Rat to celebrate the Chinese New Year and to debut a new stamp series featuring animals in the Chinese calendar.

“The start of the Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday of the year for more than 25 percent of the people in the world,” USPS Governor Katherine Tobin said. “It’s a time of great celebration and reflection for many millions of Americans, including our nation’s oldest Chinese-American community here in San Francisco.”

People born during the Year of the Rat are said to be adaptable, clever, ambitious and industrious. Famous Rats include Antonio Banderas, Doris Day, George Washington — also famous for crossing a river — and Olivia Newton-John.

For more information on the Lunar New Year stamp, click here http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2008/sr08_102a.pdf.

The Celebrating Lunar New Year stamp sheet can be purchased at Post Offices, on usps.com and by calling 800-STAMP-24.