The wife of Sinarda Tyler, a rural carrier in Groton, CT, has an Instagram account dedicated to video clips of Tyler dressed for the 25 days leading to Christmas — often featuring a punny T-shirt, colorful leggings and festive gear that he also wears while making his deliveries.
“We do a little story and put it online,” said Tyler.
“After I had a heart attack two years ago, the kids on my route decorated their mailboxes welcoming me back, and ever since then, I go a little further than just Christmas.”
Indeed, there was a bonus installment this month. The Easter Bunny has been added to Tyler’s roster, which has expanded to include a leprechaun, Cupid and other holiday-themed getups.
For his latest transformation, “it started with the hat, which was given to me by Postmaster Kristine Moore. I went from there” — including adding a shower pouf for the tail.
“I love my job, I really do,” Tyler said.
Sprinkling some stardust
Kwaku Alston, who photographed entertainer Betty White in 2010, never guessed his work would become the inspiration for a new Forever stamp.
But he knows that his father, Carl Howard Alston — who worked at the Philadelphia Post Office’s main branch for 37 years — would be celebrating.
“My dad, Carl, passed away a year after Betty did,” he recently told Forbes. “If he were alive, I can imagine him with his buddies at work, seeing the stamp on envelopes while knowing that his son took the photo.”
Artist Dale Stephanos created a digital illustration of White using Alston’s photo as a reference. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.
“I think my father’s up in heaven with Betty toasting with champagne and sprinkling stardust down on me. This is such a blessing on so many levels,” Alston said.
Fendi goes philatelic
Poste Italiane — Italy’s postal service — is releasing a stamp in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Fendi fashion house.
The stamp is part of a series that celebrates Italian brands that reach the 100-year mark. Gucci was similarly honored in 2021.
The stamps come in a set of four that includes a stamped and cancelled philatelic postcard, a philatelic envelope, and a letter signed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, artistic director of accessories and menswear.
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