Tag Archives: Washington DC

The Fleeting Beauty of Cherry Blossoms

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The 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival ends tomorrow, but there’s still time to pick up the 2012 Cherry Blossom Centennial (Forever®) stamps. On the back of the sheet is a beautiful poem by Ki no Tomonori (c. 850–c.904):

Notecards

This charming set includes 8 letterpress cards (four different designs), 8 eye-catching envelopes, and 8 Cherry Blossom Centennial (Forever®) stamps. Click the image for details.

the light filling the air
is so mild this spring day
only the cherry blossoms
keep falling in haste—
why is that so?

The poem captures the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms, which are only around for a short time every spring. They appear annually, and then they’re quickly gone. According to the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s “Bloom Watch” web site: “The blooming period starts several days before the peak bloom date and can last as long as 14 days; however, frost or high temperatures combined with wind or rain can shorten this period.” (The Bloom Watch page also has a detailed list of peak bloom times over the years. The list goes back more than two decades.)

Can’t make the National Cherry Blossom Festival? The National Park Service has a cherry blossom web cam. That way, you can watch the cherry blossom trees bloom in real time!

A Brief History of Cherry Blossoms on Stamps

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Commemorative Panel

Quantities of this American Commemorative Panel are limited. Don’t miss out! Click the image for details.

The gorgeous 2012 Cherry Blossom Centennial (Forever®) stamps aren’t the first to have featured the distinctive springtime attraction of our nation’s capital. Here’s a quick look at a few other stamps that depict the beautiful pink blooms.

In 2012, USPS issued a sheet of Forever® stamps honoring First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and her efforts to beautify America. “Plant for a more Beautiful America,” the center stamp, depicts the Jefferson Memorial seen through branches of flowering cherry blossoms. This stamp, originally issued in the 1960s, was adapted in 2012 for printing in offset lithography by artist Paloma Alcalá.

Blossom-Forever-single-BGv1In 2008, as part of the Flags of Our Nation series, cherry blossoms appeared on the District of Columbia 42-cent stamp. The illustration, by Tom Engeman, showcased the D.C. flag, which was inspired by George Washington’s family coat of arms and features two red bars and three stars.

11-DC42-single-BGv1In 2003, USPS celebrated District of Columbia with a 37-cent stamp. The stamp is shaped like a diamond, as was the original 100-square-mile tract of land chosen to be the permanent site of the nation’s capital. Cherry blossoms fill the bottom quadrant of the stamp.

USPS03STA026DAnd in 1989, a 15-cent postcard featuring the Jefferson Memorial hit Post Offices across the United States. The postcard image features the Tidal Basin landmark framed by cherry blossoms.

UX144Which is your favorite?

The Cherry Blossom Festival: A Brief History of a National Tradition

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Bundle 2

This collectible bundle contains one set of Cherry Blossom Centennial note cards, a pack of five Cherry Blossom Centennial tote bags, one Cherry Blossom Centennial Commemorative Panel, and one Cherry Blossom Centennial giclée print. Click the image for details.

The 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival began last week, and there’s plenty of time to join the celebration. Held every year in Washington, D.C., this event has a storied history. It began with a modest ceremony at the Tidal Basin on March 27, 1912, when First Lady Helen Herron “Nellie” Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees. The remaining trees were placed around the Tidal Basin and elsewhere in Washington.

Since then, the event has become a D.C. tradition. As the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s official history explains, the nation’s first ladies have long been involved in the joyous occasion.

Historically, many were involved in events through the National Conference of State Societies’ Princess Program. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower crowned Queen Janet Bailey in 1953, and in 1976 Betty Ford invited the princesses to the White House. In 1965, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson accepted 3,800 Yoshino trees from the government of Japan and held a tree planting reenactment. All first ladies in recent years have served as Honorary Chair, many participating as well. In 1999, First Lady Hillary Clinton took part in a tree planting ceremony. In 2001, First Lady Laura Bush greeted guests with remarks at the Opening Ceremony. Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama was involved in 2012, planting a cherry tree in West Potomac Park among dignitaries and guests.

As the years have passed, the festival has grown exponentially.

The Festival was expanded to two weeks in 1994 to accommodate a diverse activity schedule during the blooming period. Over the years, millions have participated in Festival events and viewed the flowering cherry trees.  In 2012, the Festival expanded to five weeks (from 16 days in recent previous years) to provide a grand tribute to the 100-year anniversary of the gift of trees. Today, more than 1.5 million people visit Washington, DC each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees and participate in diverse programming that heralds spring in the nation’s capital.

The 2012 Cherry Blossom Centennial Forever® stamps (and many related philatelic products, like this beautiful print) are still available from The Postal Store. (Forever® stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.)

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Is Now in Full Swing

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Yesterday marked the beginning of the 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival, an annual event in Washington, D.C., celebrating the gift of more than 3,000 Japanese cherry blossom trees from the city of Tokyo, Japan. This year the festival runs from March 20 through April 14.

Cherry Blossom CentennialIn a modest ceremony at the Tidal Basin on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron “Nellie” Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees. The remaining trees were placed around the Tidal Basin and elsewhere in Washington.

After the trees were planted, Colonel Spencer Cosby of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who supervised the project, wrote prophetically about them to Mayor Ozaki in Tokyo:

The trees completely surround the Tidal Basin and, when in bloom in the spring, will make a magnificent display. . . . In a few years this will undoubtedly be one of the famous sights of Washington, and a constant reminder to our citizens of the kindly feeling of your City and Country.

One of the great legacies of Nellie Taft’s years as First Lady was the beautification of what is today known as Potomac Park. Mrs. Taft visualized the area embellished with Japanese cherry trees that would bloom profusely with white and pink flowers every spring.

This limited-quantity bundle features three collectible items from the Cherry Blossom stamp series and makes an ideal gift for collectors and cherry blossom enthusiasts alike. This bundle contains one set of Cherry Blossom Centennial Notecards, a pack of five Cherry Blossom Centennial Tote Bags, and one Cherry Blossom Centennial Commemorative Panel.

This limited-quantity bundle contains one set of note cards, five Cherry Blossom tote bags, and one American Commemorative Panel. Click the image for details.

In 1927, local citizens held a pageant, including a reenactment of the original planting ceremony, to celebrate the gift of the stunning trees. During the 1930s, similar celebrations became annual events. Revived after a hiatus during World War II, the National Cherry Blossom Festival today encompasses myriad events such as a parade, concerts, galas, and a variety of cultural events, drawing more than a million visitors to the nation’s capital each year.

The 2012 Cherry Blossom Centennial Forever® stamps (and many related philatelic products) are still available from The Postal Store. (Forever® stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.)

2012 Congressional Stamp Exhibit

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Thank you to everyone who came out to the Congressional Stamp Exhibit this year. It was the best one yet! (Who knew Owney and Mr. ZIP would make an appearance?!) We hope you enjoyed our pictures from the three-day event. To see more, become a fan of USPS Stamps on Facebook or follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Have a story from this year’s exhibit? Share it with us in the comments.