2011 ""Happy Holidays" Spray-On Cancel (Central Ma 014)

Sometimes you wonder why the USPS even bothers to add the sentiment "Happy Holidays" with Santa and his reindeer, when the result looks like this mess:



Nevertheless, it's the first example I've seen in 2011 and wonder how popular the "Happy Holidays" marking is in seasonal mail. Is it unique to only certain regional mailing centers, or do all of them use it? This one shown above is from Central Massachusetts (014) and the date reads 6 Dec 2011 (in the event you can't make it out).

I enjoy looking thru the old covers and stamps on paper I have gotten and seeing the old holiday cancels that where stamped on but the newer sprayed on cancels to me do nothing more then ruin the covers and the stamps.

I have seen those, and BOY are they ugly! Spray cancels... with technology the way it is these days, why do we get such awful quality??

Since my initial post, I have received some Christmas Cards from Middlesex/Essex, MA and Rockland/Westchester, NY mailing facilities also using the "Happy Holidays" spray-on cancel. Unfortunately, they were all just as bad in appearance as the one initially posted. I have received NONE to date that were clear enough to justify saving as part of my collection.

Oh, well, at least I received a Scott 4577 Holiday Bauble Stamp in the (SSP) printing variety (the first one from that printer I've received this year):

That is terrible.

Once in a while I get one from Canada that has the speedy printing and unreadable text but usually they are all pretty good. Fingers crossed.

Is the USPS against literacy or something?
There is doing a fast job and then doing a good job.

Cranky in Halifax (ran out o coffee )

We've also had some terrible spray on cancels here in Canada,
especially in the Toronto area.

This year though they are quite good so far.
Has someone been complaining to Canada Post?

It was processed at Canada Post South Central Letter Processing Plant 969 Eastern Avenue Toronto ON.

Here's another version of the US spray-on cancel in use in Upstate New York in 2011. A little bit better, perhaps than the Santa & Reindeer graphic but not by much.



(It's rather a pity that a firm such as the Mystic Stamp Company wouldn't have used a commemorative stamp rather than a definitive issue for mailing things to stamp collectors.)

Here's one I received today. Can't read it at all, but the return address is Rockville, MD. Awful.



Regards, Robert

Interesting. I think your example reads "Capital District...13 DEC 2011 PM 2 L"

By the way, I'm having a bit of fun identifying the Holiday Bauble varieties of stamps. I think your example is Scott 4576, Sennett (SSP) Printing.

wt1, I agree on both your points. I checked the USPS website, and the Capital District includes Rockville, MD (ZIP 208xx). After reading all the fine print in the latest Scott New Issues Update regarding the location of the microprinting on the Christmas Ornaments stamps, it is indeed Scott 4576.

Cheers, Robert

Yes, they always smear and look atrocious!

I agree ... but believe it or not, it can get even worse! Here's a stamp and its cancellation (if you can call it that) cropped from a Christmas Card envelope I received today. At least I've identified the stamp as a 4574 (APU) printing.