Stamps to look for in 2016

The U.S. Postal Service has a wide variety of stamps available, but for the new year, it's releasing even more. Peruse the new list of postage to see which ones you'd like to use with your messages. Get ready to adorn your envelopes with the perfect postage by choosing from the 2016 list!

A stamp for everyone
The postal service is adding a whole new range of stamps to its collection. If you're a fan of plants, animals, outer space and more, then you'll want to check out the newest arrivals. The postage ideas were based off American culture, so you can find a lot of historical images on this year's collection. For example, one stamp depicts an image of people gathering around a liberty tree in honor of 250th anniversary of the repeal of the Stamp Act. Three other stamps also show famous people in history, such as Shirley Temple, Sarah Vaughan and Richard Allen.

The 2016 collection also shows a lot of stamps that focus on space. One pane of postage depicts our solar system's planets by displaying Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Another book is dedicated to Pluto to honor the 2015 New Horizons mission that explored the planet. Star Trek, though not exactly outer space, did involve characters that explored the galaxy – the U.S. Postal Service will be releasing postage celebrating the TV show's 50th anniversary this summer.

How to choose the right stamp
Picking the right stamp for your envelope can round out the overall appearance of your message. For example, if your card and envelope have a flower theme, then a small rose or daisy stamp would complete the look. Get creative with your stamp usage and try to work it into your mail art. Say your stamp depicts the head of a dog. Have fun with this postage by completing the canine's body and sketching his torso just underneath the stamp.

If you can't think of any way to incorporate the postage into your mail art, and you don't have a stamp that matches the stationery theme, then simply try to coordinate colors. Your envelope might be light purple with silver writing, so your stamp could contain shades of gray. Working your stamp into the overall look of your letter will let you send your message in style.

Stamps you need
Peruse various Forever Stamp books and choose a couple to take home with you. You may only use stamps one at a time, but having a few different types to choose from can make your envelope art more fun. The first type of stamp you should have on hand is one that depicts a regular liberty bell or American flag. This can be your general mail stamp, so if you have to send any bills in the mail just stick on one of these.

The other type of stamp you need should depict an image that matches your personal style. For instance, if you love greenery and the outdoors, your mail art probably portrays landscapes and gardens a lot. With this in mind, choose postage that would go well with this sort of art, such as ones that boast flowers or mini gardens.

Stamps that illustrate popular holidays can also come in handy. Since you know these celebrations are going to happen every year, you'll be well-prepared. It's also smart to make sure your holiday postage comes in Forever Stamps. This way, you can use leftover postage the next year. Using these suggestions to choose your stamps will keep you prepared for any message you need to send.