Norfolk residents can display pride of place this winter by stamping their envelopes with special “Icebox” stamps designed by Norfolk artist and graphic designer Hilary VanWright.
Postmaster Michelle Veronesi said the idea was inspired by the stamps used in Bethlehem, Conn., where staff member Jenna Brown previously worked.
Brown had first-hand experience with the popularity of Bethlehem’s 85 postal cachets. Postal cachets are decorative designs or inscriptions printed, stamped or drawn on an envelope, and are distinct from official postage. In 2013, for instance, 169,985 postmarks and cancellations were applied to Christmas cards and letters mailed in Bethlehem—the self-proclaimed “Christmas Town”—between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Veronesi reached out to VanWright with a request that she design a stamp for Norfolk. VanWright said she digitally designed a few options and shared a print-out with Veronesi, who opted to have all three custom stamps produced.
The stamps, which come in two sizes, are available for free at the retail counter for customers to use as they mail their letters. “We don’t recommend them for packages,” said Veronesi, “but they can stamp their envelopes.”