2026 is the Year of the Horse
HOUSTON, Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled the Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse stamp at the Chinese Community Center in Houston. The Year of the Horse begins Feb. 17, 2026, and ends Feb. 5, 2027.
“The Postal Service is one of the nation’s oldest public institutions and for 250 years it has carried out a simple yet powerful mission, to connect the American people via the U.S. Mail. This Lunar New Year stamp dedication shows our continued storied tradition of using stamps to spotlight the diverse events, ideals, and people that make our nation great,” said Postmaster General and CEO David Steiner, who also served as dedicating official for the stamp. “Starting today, this lovely illustration will be carried on letters and packages to millions of households and businesses throughout America and across the globe. As you use them, we hope that the ‘Year of the Horse’ brings each of you good health, great joy and boundless prosperity.”
Joining Steiner for the ceremony were Gary Poon, CEO of the Chinese Community Center; Kenneth Li, board chair of Houston’s Southwest Management District; and opera artist Lian Chen Walker.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Association Board of Directors President Luis M. Chen was the master of ceremonies.
In 2020, the Postal Service introduced its third — and current — Lunar New Year stamp series. The Year of the Horse is the seventh stamp in that series, which will continue through 2031 with stamps for the Year of the Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar.
Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with original art by Camille Chew. Two previous Lunar New Year series ran from 1992 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2019 and showcased the art of Clarence Lee and Kam Mak, respectively.
“I love the current series!” Alcalá said. “Whenever I speak about the stamp program to students or other professional designers, this Lunar New Year series always gets positive feedback. One woman even got a tattoo of the Year of the Rat artwork on her leg — truly a ‘Forever’ stamp!”
The latest release features a colorful three-dimensional mask depicting the face of a horse. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon and lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades, artist Chew’s designs are a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk-art crafts created during this auspicious time of year.
Chew constructed the horse mask out of hand-printed paper, then cut, scored and folded it into shape. She then embellished the mask with acrylic paint and other paper elements, such as flowers and tassels, and covered the back in a layer of papier-mâché. The mask was photographed on a white background for this series.
“Overall,” Alcalá said, “the positive responses to the more contemporary look are numerous and encouraging.”
People born in the Year of the Horse are said to be energetic, free-spirited, confident and hardworking, as horses are symbols of speed, strength and endurance. These attributes resonate with many who seek success, stability and good fortune in the new year.
In the United States, the Year of the Horse is particularly popular because of its associations with independence and freedom — qualities that align with the American ethos. Many Asian Americans and non-Asians alike view the Year of the Horse as a time to embrace energy and drive, set new goals, and tackle challenges head-on.
The Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse stamp is being issued in panes of 20 and as a Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1‑ounce price. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #LunarNewYearHorse and #LunarNewYearStamp.
The Postal Service printed 20 million stamps that are now on sale at Post Offices and on usps.com.
Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.
Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is celebrating its 250th year of service to customers amidst a network modernization plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter; Facebook; Instagram; Pinterest; Threads; and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.
National contact: David P. Coleman
david.p.coleman@usps.gov
usps.com/news
Texas contact: “Nikki” Johnson
kanickewa.johnson@usps.gov
usps.com/news
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SOURCE U.S. Postal Service
