The United States Postal Service has just issued a set of four holiday stamps featuring still frames from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the beloved stop-motion animated holiday TV special produced by Rankin/Bass.

On the evening of December 6, 1964, families sat down to watch a new TV show for the first time: an animated special called Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It featured the voice of Burl Ives as Sam, a singing snowman, who narrates the tale of a misfit reindeer who finds his own special way to shine. The hour-long show went on to become not only the longest-running and highest-rated Christmas special in TV history, but also a cherished holiday tradition.

The stamp artwork features still frames from the special, with Rudolph, Santa, and the Abominable Snow Monster all starring on stamps of their own, while a fourth stamp features Hermey, the elf who dreams of becoming a dentist, touching Rudolph’s glowing red nose.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps for USPS. The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.

The stamps are currently available in a Book of 20 Stamps priced at $9.80.

Source: United States Postal Service