The Powerful Politics Behind Christmas Stamps

A Colorado author explores how power and influence shaped the creation of U.S. Christmas stamps over the decades.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Jody Pritzl, a Colorado-based author, has written a book called "The December Dilemma" that delves into the backstories and political influences behind the creation of U.S. Christmas stamps. Pritzl, a former corporate executive turned writer, was fascinated to learn that the first U.S. Christmas stamp was issued in her lifetime, in 1962, and not decades earlier as she had assumed. Her research revealed that the Postmaster General, appointed by the President, held significant sway over which stamp designs and subjects were approved, making postage a powerful vehicle for shaping American history and culture.

Why it matters

Pritzl's book highlights how the seemingly innocuous process of designing and issuing Christmas stamps was actually shaped by political influence and power dynamics in Washington, D.C. The book provides insight into how the Postmaster General, as a cabinet-level position, wielded influence equal to that of the Secretary of Defense, and how elections and presidential transitions impacted the subjects and designs of Christmas stamps over the years.

The details

Pritzl's research involved poring over minutes from actual stamp committee meetings, where she uncovered evidence of political influence and power struggles. For example, she found that the first 10 years of Christmas stamps were influenced by three different presidents and seven Postmaster Generals. The book explores how the Postmaster General's decisions on stamp designs and subjects could be used to honor or omit certain historical figures and events, such as the planned stamp commemorating President Kennedy's national tree lighting ceremony that was never issued after his assassination.

  • The first U.S. Christmas stamp was issued in 1962.
  • Pritzl's book "The December Dilemma" was published in 2026.

The players

Jody Pritzl

A Colorado-based author who has written six books, four of which were nominated for awards by the Colorado Authors League. Pritzl exited a 30-year corporate career to become a writer, and her research into the history of Christmas stamps led her to write "The December Dilemma".

The Postmaster General

A cabinet-level position appointed by the President, with the power to authorize and approve the designs and subjects of U.S. postage stamps, including Christmas stamps.

President John F. Kennedy

The planned Christmas stamp commemorating his national tree lighting ceremony was never issued after his assassination in 1963.

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What they’re saying

“Reading non-fiction can be as cool as watching Hamilton on stage or screen. It is up to the writer to portray a main character, in this case, the Postmaster General, as human, not as a faceless name without personality.”

— Jody Pritzl, Author (The Colorado Sun)

“Stamp stories are cool. Appreciate the art and work of the designers and engravers who took the task very seriously.”

— Jody Pritzl, Author (The Colorado Sun)

What’s next

Pritzl's next project is a historical fiction story set against the backdrop of America's 250th birthday in 1976, exploring the Bicentennial celebrations through the eyes of a 14-year-old girl and her family.

The takeaway

Pritzl's book "The December Dilemma" sheds light on how the seemingly innocuous process of designing and issuing Christmas stamps was actually shaped by political influence and power dynamics in Washington, D.C., with the Postmaster General wielding significant sway over the subjects and designs that were approved.