Everyone had a great time at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum Holiday event, and it looks as though we be invited back next year. Hot cocoa and cookies were served to the public. A Smithsonian booth passed out free Christmas Postage stamps. The Christmas Philatelic Club was also in attendance. Next year the Smithsonian plans to expand into other Christmas related hobbies, maybe Christmas postcards, maybe Santa Claus could be there or children could write letters to Santa.
The Postal Museum education department graciously accepted our gift of a complete* Christmas Seal collection, which was put together by friends and members of the CS&CSS. We are shooting for the stars; news releases were sent to UPI, API, and The Washington Post. Keep your fingers crossed. Not since 1933 has the CS&CSS given a collection like this to such an imminent reciepant, then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The CS&CSS filled nine 16 page frames with rare varieties of Christmas Seals from the collections of John Hotchner, and Lloyd Thrower, who were there to share them with the public. Our booth displayed literature, information from our website and passed out free Christmas Seals, as well as CS&CSS pamphlets. After lunch we were discussing rare tied ons. I (John Denune, Jr.) shared that I knew a collector who is searching for a 1933 long coat variety tied on, but the odds of finding that are like finding a 1934 stage 4 tied on. To my utter surprise, John Hotchner produced two 1934 stage 4 tied ons. John's collection of 1933, 1934 and 1935 tied ons contains hundreds of pieces.
To top it off, Lloyd and his lovely wife invited us to their restored mid century modern home, decorated in the period for dinner.