Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The problem with Harry Potter stamps

When I heard that there were Harry Potter stamps I thought it was a great idea.  And one day when I was at the post office and remembered to ask I bought some.  Two books, even.

But.

There is a problem with Harry Potter stamps.

[Now apparently there is more than one problem with Harry Potter stamps.  More problems than my problem.  I learned this when I was looking for images of the stamps online because I am quite frankly too lazy to scan them.  It turns out that a member of the Citizens Advisory Stamp Committee (yes, there is such a group) resigned in protest over the Harry Potter stamps.  This committee has met quarterly for over 50 years to decide which things will get to be on stamps.  And apparently the committee is concerned that the USPS is sacrificing ‘gravitas’ in favor of more commercially viable stamp images.  In fact in his resignation letter this man suggested that the USPS was prostituting the stamp program.  Who knew!]

On to *my* problem with the Harry Potter stamps.

I got them.  I looked at them.  I oohed and ahhed at them.

Harry reading his Hogwarts letter!  How cute!

zharry letter

Little Hermione who always knew all of the answers!

zher

And a fun shot of young Ron, Harry, and Hermione.  I loved them.

zhermione

I would use any of them on mail to you, you know.

But.

But what about some of the other stamps?  Can I really use them on anything other than an impersonal bill?

Maybe I can put this one on a letter to you.  Harry fighting for the right and all that.

zharry spell

But Malfoy?   Some of Cindy Lynn’s friends liked Malfoy in the beginning, thought he was cute.  I never did, though.  And by the end I thought he was pretty awful, even when I also felt sorry for him. 

zmalfoy

And this?  Bellatrix?  Could I really use her stamp on any friendly mail?  How would it be interpreted??  (Though it might remind you of that fantastic scene with Molly Weasley.)

zbellatrix

Lastly… Seriously, could this be interpreted any way but badly?  “When I think of you I also think of He Who Shall Not Be Named!”  “Nose job, anyone?”  “Avada Kedavra!

zvoldemort

I think not.

And that is why, as cool as I still think they are, I doubt I’ll be buying another book of Harry Potter stamps.  Because honestly they’re just a little too much work to use.

4 comments:

  1. I recently bought (cute, not just flag) stamps at the post office the other day. It's been on my mind what role a stamp has in letter sending other than the actual business of getting it mailed. :)

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    1. Amy, I'm all about cute stamps. And cute checks. Even though we don't use either of them very much any more, I want cuteness where I can get it. ;)

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  2. My mom (Diana whom you worked with in the RS presidency in NC) got us each a set for Christmas and one for herself. I said I would have to use one to send her a letter and she was aghast at the idea. I guess I should keep them forever instead. =)

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    1. Jaime that is so funny. I guess they really would be forever stamps!

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