33c Hanukkah single

The 33-cent Hanukkah stamp was issued in Washington, DC, on October 8, 1999. Hannah Smotrich of Washington, DC, designed the stamp. This stamp was first issued in 1996 as part of the Holiday Celebrations Series. It was reissued with a new denomination.

The stamp was designed in honor of Hanukkah, a Jewish celebration commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E., after its desecration three years earlier. Only enough oil to light the temple menorah, or candelabrum, for one day was found, but the flame miraculously continued to burn for eight days. Because Hanukkah centers around the miracle of light, candles are the primary symbol of the holiday. Today, several rituals mark the observation of Hanukkah: Families light a menorah for eight nights, exchange gifts, sing, play a game with a spinning top called a dreidel, and eat foods cooked in oil such as potato pancakes or doughnuts.

Avery Dennison printed 65 million stamps using the gravure process.

Reference:

Postal Bulletin (September 9, 1999).

mint

Issued October 8, 1999