Australia Post has issued a new set of stamps to celebrate the new Lunar New Year of the Tiger, which will begin on 1 February.
Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival in China, is the most important of the traditional festivals celebrated by Asian cultures throughout the world bringing families together to feast, exchange gifts of money wrapped in red paper, and burn incense to honour their ancestors.
Australia Post Group Manager Philatelic Michael Zsolt said the stamps provide an opportunity to send wishes of good fortune to family and friends, both here and overseas.
"Each year, we look forward to seeing how the 12 animals of the Lunar New Year cycle will be represented on the stamp designs," Mr Zsolt said.
"It is such an important time for families to connect and celebrate, and the stamp issue is always a popular one for our collectors."
Award-winning designer Chrissy Lau, in her second consecutive year designing the Lunar New Year stamp for Australia Post, said the designs played on the familiarity of the waving Lucky Cat figurine seen in East/West culture.
"These popular icons evoke nostalgia and a sense of multiculturalism, so I wanted to weave these concepts into the Tiger," Ms Lau said.
"I hope the stamps make people smile and give them a sense of fun, because the world has been a bit crazy these past few years."
People born in the Year of the Tiger are said to be very active, courageous, persistent, stubborn and imperious, with a tendency to irritability. Famous people born in the Year of the Tiger include Marilyn Monroe, Usain Bolt, Lady Gaga, Steve Erwin and Queen Elizabeth II.
The designs show the Tiger in three separate scenarios for stamps of $1.10, $2.20 and $3.30, and a zodiac sheetlet represents all the animals of the zodiac in the same style with additional stamp denominations and a total of 15 separate designs.
The stamps and associated products, including a minisheet and stamp pack, are on sale now at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794, and online while stocks last.
F
