The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a government-run organization which oversees the mail system of the United States of America. The American postal system was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1775.

Unlike its commercial competitors such as UPS and FedEx, the USPS is the only mail carrier which delivers mail to the North Pole. This distinction played an important role in the special A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa, in which the Muppets had to deliver letters to Santa Claus by hand after the local post office had closed. The song "Delivering Christmas," which honors the postal workers who deliver the letters to Santa, was later made available on an album sold by the Postal Service.

Each Christmas season, the Postal Service uses a special holiday cancellation, usually featuring a licensed character. Kermit the Frog appeared on the 2009 holiday cancellation for holiday cards and letters mailed in the month of December.^[1]

Postage stamps

The USPS has honored the Muppets with several postage stamps over the years:

• 1986 — Jim Henson and Rowlf promoted the 1986 Love Stamp. Although the stamp did not include any Muppets, an illustration of Rowlf featured on the First Day Cover.

• 1999 — Big Bird's likeness graced a stamp honoring events of the 1970s.

• 2005 — Jim Henson and the cast of The Muppet Show appeared on a set of 11 stamps honoring Kermit's 50th anniversary.

• 2019 — For Sesame Street’s 50th anniversary, the USPS issued a set of 16 stamps, featuring 17 characters (and two transitional objects).

References

• see: couriers

"I Am a Letter"

The Sesame Street Dictionary
Big Bird mails a letter

The Sesame Street Dictionary
Marshal Grover mailing a letter to his mommy

The Sesame Street Dictionary
Farley waiting in line to buy stamps

The Tale of Traveling Matt
Uncle Matt mailing his first postcard

Sources

External links

• U.S. Postal Service website