SYD KRONISH | Stamps Candy hearts spell 'I Love You'

Ever hear of a candy stamp?
Well, there's one coming up in the U.S. Postal Service 2004 schedule. It's the new "Love" stamp for release in January ahead of the Valentine's Day mailings.
The design of the new 37-cent stamp displays two candy hearts -- one yellow, in the foreground, and a pink one, slightly behind it. The letter "I" and a heart (denoting Love) in red appear on the yellow candy. The word You is on the pink one -- thus the message "I Love You."
Artist Michael Osborne of San Francisco created the illustration of the pair of hearts. He also designed the colorful 2002 Love stamp that featured a stylized block letter and a heart motif spelling the word Love.
The first Love stamp was issued by the Postal Service in 1973. It portrayed an iconic design by pop artist Robert Indiana. Since that time, Love stamps have featured a wide range of subjects including flowers, animals, love letters and some abstract designs.
In 1978, the Love stamp was released as a Christmas stamp depicting a religious portrait of Madonna and Child by Andrea della Robbia. In 1991, the stamp showed two love birds close together in a flower leaf. And in 1994, the design was a red heart with a dove in the center.
Making it sweeter
In a special sweet tie-in this year, the USPS approved of the New England Confectionery Co. (NECCO) manufacturing a special run of candy hearts bearing the same "I Love You" inscription as the 2004 Love stamp.
NECCO has been making Sweetheart Conversation Hearts for more than 100 years.
David Failor, executive director of Stamp Services for the Postal Service says, "The Love stamp has been a popular addition to cards and letters mailed to friends and loved ones all year long and particularly to celebrate Valentine's Day. In 2004, the candy hearts -- those little tokens of affection -- will help spread good cheer on millions of letters mailed in virtually every town across America."
To order your 2004 Love stamps being released in January, you can call toll-free (800) STAMP-24. Also ask for a free comprehensive catalog. A selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available at the online Postal Store www.usps.com/shop.
Christmas gift suggestion
Here's a Christmas gift idea for your stamp-collecting friends or family members. It's called "An American Postal Portrait." The book incorporates the rich history of the U.S. Postal Service from 1860 to the present, with more than 200 photographs.
It also includes color reproductions of each U.S. stamp that commemorates the Postal Service and its employees, plus 61 stamp images and four stationery selections. The cost is $31.50.