Earlier this year the Kalamazoo Stamp Club challenged Pen Dragons to do the calligraphy and design for a special cancellation for the Nazareth Post Office which annually receives requests to add this special touch to Christmas mail.
As the October 1 deadline loomed with no Pen Dragon submitting an entry, Tina Lee Cronkhite took up the challenge at the September Guild meeting. As she was demonstrating the use of a folded pen she wrote the required words, “Christmas Star Station,” and also did some quick illustrations of a star and nativity scene.
Following the meeting Julie Kechele scanned and rearranged Tina’s work into two possible designs that would fit the proportions of the cancellation rubber stamp and include a postmark date. Julie also did a more traditional design, and Jane Ewing and Kristi Ryan also submitted ideas for a calligraphic cancel. These were all sent to the Kalamazoo Stamp Club and Nazareth Postmaster to make a choice. Congratulations to Tina whose design was selected! [Click here to view all the proposed designs.]
Once the design receives final approval and the rubber stamp is created, Pen Dragons member will be invited to come to the Nazareth Post Office to cancel their own Christmas mail (dates/times TBA). Press releases will highlight the special cancel as well as the relocation of the Nazareth Post Office to a new, more accessible, location on Gull Road.
What is a Special Cancellation?
Special Cancellations celebrate events, community anniversaries, and more. As an example, the Kalamazoo Stamp Club sponsors the annual Christmas cancel at Nazareth, MI.
The special cancellation goes through an approval process by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). This starts with an application to the local Postmaster, that includes dates, artwork, signatures. Once approved the USPS supplies the cancel at no cost.
The special cancel uses the word "station" as part of the cancel. This allows the special cancel to be used for 30 days. The special cancel is posted in the USPS Bulletins and web pages, and through local press releases. This allows requests to be mailed to the local Postmaster or walk-ins for cancelling. It is not uncommon to get worldwide requests. In the above example customers send requests to have Christmas cards cancelled. There is no extra cost for the cancel - proper postage is all that is required.