Where to buy Christmas stamps in 2026 has two sure answers, the counter at your local Post Office and the USPS Postal Store at store.usps.com, and both sell the holiday designs at the regular Forever price of 82 cents each. A booklet of 20 costs $16.40, and you can also order by phone at 844-737-7826 or pick them up at grocery stores and pharmacies that sell stamps on consignment for USPS.
Anyone asking where to buy Christmas stamps should also know which designs exist this year, what each outlet stocks, and when to order.
Holiday stamps are ordinary USPS stamps with seasonal artwork, and the USPS holiday stamp page lists the current designs. They pay the same postage as a plain Forever stamp, and the 2026 designs are on sale now.
Where to buy Christmas stamps in 2026
There are five realistic places to look. The table shows what each one offers.
| Where | What you can get | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Post Office counter | Whatever holiday designs that office has in stock | Selection varies by office, and you can ask for a specific design |
| USPS Postal Store (store.usps.com) | The full holiday stamp page, 17 products this season, including booklets of 20 | Handling fee of $2.10 on domestic stamp orders up to $50, $2.85 over $50 |
| Phone order, 844-737-7826 | The same Postal Store catalog, including the new issues | USPS also takes mail orders through its USA Philatelic catalog and Stamps By Mail (PS Form 3227-A) |
| Self service kiosk in a Post Office lobby | Stamps are among the listed kiosk services | The kiosk screen shows which designs it holds, and the choice is narrower than the counter |
| Grocery stores, pharmacies, bank tellers and department stores | Stamps sold on consignment for USPS, usually booklets of 20 | Which designs a store carries is up to that store, so expect one or two seasonal options at most |
USPS supplies cashier counters, bank teller stations, pharmacies and grocery stores through its Stamps to Go consignment program, which is why stamps turn up at checkout lanes. For the full list of stamp sellers, see this guide to every place that sells stamps. Those outlets choose their own stock, so a holiday design is a bonus rather than a promise.
Which holiday stamps are out this year
USPS announced six holiday issues for 2026. Each domestic one is a Forever stamp, sold in panes or booklets of 20, with these issue dates.
- Christmas Cookies: issued September 19, 2026 in Washington, DC.
- Christmas Madonna and Child: issued October 2, 2026 in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The art is a painting held by the Clark Art Institute.
- Hanukkah: issued September 29, 2026 in New Orleans.
- Kwanzaa: issued September 23, 2026 in Norfolk, Virginia.
- Diwali: due in October 2026, in panes of 20.
- Winter Wreath: a Global stamp for international mail, issued September 18, 2026 in Humble, Texas.
The Postal Store also lists older seasonal designs, such as Winter Landscapes, Holiday Cheer, Winter Whimsy, Winter Woodland Animals, Holiday Joy and Eid Greetings. If you prefer a classic look, those are worth a scroll.
How much is a Christmas stamp
A domestic Christmas stamp costs 82 cents, the same as every other Forever stamp.
That is the current retail price for a one ounce First-Class Mail stamped letter. A booklet of 20 is 20 times $0.82, or $16.40. For the full price picture, see how much stamps cost in 2026.
The Winter Wreath Global stamp is priced higher. The Postal Store sells it at $17.50 for 20, or $1.75 per stamp. It is meant for cards going outside the United States, so do not buy it for local mail.
What a Forever stamp covers
A Forever stamp always equals the current one ounce First-Class Mail rate, whatever the price is on the day you mail. If you buy Christmas stamps now and prices rise next year, the stamps still work. You can read the details in this explainer on what a Forever stamp is.
Stamps never expire. USPS does not exchange stamps just because prices changed, but you lose nothing by keeping leftovers for next December.
Buying holiday stamps online
The Postal Store is the easiest way to get a full set of designs. In stock items ship in 3 to 5 business days by standard shipping. Priority Mail Express shipping takes 1 to 2 business days and costs more.
The handling fee matters when you order small. Two booklets are 40 stamps and $32.80.
Add the $2.10 handling fee and the total is $34.90 before any shipping upgrade. For other online sellers and the fake stamp problem, read whether you can buy stamps online safely.
A simple way to order
- Open the holiday stamps page at store.usps.com and pick your design.
- Choose booklets of 20 if you want the lowest hassle, or a sheet size if the page offers one.
- Check the shipping option and the handling fee at checkout.
- Order at least a week before you plan to address cards, so a delay does not cost you.
Buying at the Post Office counter
For anyone asking where to buy Christmas stamps in person, the counter is the surest answer. You leave with the stamps the same day, and the clerk can tell you what is in stock.
The drawback is that each office stocks its own mix, so a small office may have only one or two holiday designs. Ask the clerk to show you everything on hand before you choose.
If you need just a few, you do not have to buy a whole booklet. This is covered in the guide to buying single stamps. Call ahead if you want a particular design for a big card list.
When do holiday stamps sell out
USPS does not publish sell out dates for holiday stamps. Popular designs can run low at individual offices as December gets closer, but no official figure says when. The sensible plan is to buy in October or early November, while every design is still on the shelf.
The Postal Store had every holiday product in stock at the start of October. Stock changes through the season, so a design you like today may not be there later.
How many Christmas stamps do you need
Count your cards first, then check each envelope. A standard card in a regular envelope uses one Forever stamp. A worked example: 30 cards at $0.82 each costs $24.60, which is two booklets with 10 stamps left over.
Heavier cards need more postage. A letter weighing between 1 and 2 ounces costs $1.11, which is one Forever stamp plus a 29 cent Additional Ounce stamp.
A letter that USPS treats as nonmachinable pays a $0.49 surcharge on top of the base price, which brings a one ounce card to $1.31.
Use the stamp calculator to check an odd shaped card before you buy.
A Forever stamp on a postcard pays more than needed, because the retail postcard price is $0.65. That is fine for a holiday postcard if you only have Forever stamps.
Mailing your cards on time
Buying the stamps is the easy part. Cards have to reach the carrier in time, and a store being open is not the same as mail being delivered that day. Check the guides on whether USPS is open on Christmas Eve before you plan a last minute run, and remember that opening hours say nothing about carrier delivery.
Writing to the North Pole is its own process, with a December 5 postmark deadline. The steps are in the guide on mailing a letter to Santa.
Which design should you pick
Choose by the people on your list. The Christmas Cookies and Madonna and Child designs suit most cards. The Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Diwali issues are there if your recipients celebrate those holidays, and a mix of designs works fine on one mailing since every domestic stamp carries the same value.
The Madonna and Child stamp is the newest Christmas issue, dated October 2, 2026. The Christmas Cookies stamp has been out since September 19, 2026. Both pay the same 82 cents, so the choice comes down to taste.
Common mistakes when buying holiday stamps
- Buying a domestic stamp for a card going abroad. Use the Global design for international mail.
- Waiting until the week of mailing, then finding the design you wanted is gone at your local office.
- Forgetting the handling fee on small online orders, which can make a few booklets cost more than expected.
- Counting one stamp per card without weighing thick cards, which may need extra postage.
Used stamps cannot be reused, and cutting unused stamps off an old envelope to tape on new mail is prohibited. Damaged or defaced stamps are not valid, so keep booklets flat and dry until you use them.
Bottom line
Buy Christmas stamps at a Post Office counter or store.usps.com, at 82 cents each for the Forever designs. Order online early to cover shipping and the handling fee. Check your envelopes for extra weight so you buy enough stamps the first time.
