Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Diwali is latest holiday to receive a new stamp
This year’s design is the first honoring the festival since 2016
The Postal Service will issue its latest Diwali stamp on Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Washington, DC.
Diwali is a major holiday celebrating the triumph of good over evil and is recognized by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and other South Asian religious communities.
The stamp is the second from USPS honoring the autumn festival and the first new design since 2016. The artwork depicts a vibrant rangoli, created by Houston-based artist Sangita Bhutada, on a purple background. Rangolis are a traditional folk artform featuring floral imagery and geometric shapes.
During the holiday, it is customary for people to create rangolis in and around their homes as they are thought to bring good fortune.
Jennifer Arnold designed the stamp and William Gicker served as the project’s art director.
On the Hindu calendar, Diwali falls on the eve of — or on — the new moon that occurs between mid-October and mid-November. This year, the five-day festival begins Nov. 6.
The stamp will be available in sheets of 20 at Post Offices and at usps.com.
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Adding someone to your health plan this year?
The OPM now requires you to provide eligibility documents to get them covered
Postal Service employees must provide proof of eligibility for any family member they wish to add to their health plan this open season, according to a new requirement from the Office of Personnel Management, or OPM.
Employees should review the required documentation list on MyHR. If certified replacement records need to be ordered, such as birth or marriage certificates, request them now to ensure they arrive in time for open season.
If an employee is enrolling through the Postal Service Health Benefits System online portal, the documents must be uploaded there. If an employee is enrolling using a Standard Form 2809, Health Benefits Election Form, the required documentation must be included when submitting the form.
All family members added to a health plan must be verified before enrollment can be finalized. If employees do not provide the required documentation through either the online portal or with the SF 2809 paper form, their enrollment will not be finalized, and their family members will not receive coverage.
Open season — the annual period to review, enroll or modify your benefits — runs from Monday, Nov. 9, through Monday, Dec. 14.
Employees with questions can email PSHBHQ@usps.gov.
Additional coverage can be found on Link’s Open Season 2026 page.
Milestones
Appointments, awards and retirements
Here’s a look at recent USPS leadership announcements
The Postal Service recently made the following managerial and supervisory announcements:
• Richard J. Garcia was named Portland, OR, acting postmaster. He previously served as Bakersfield, CA, postmaster.
• Alexandra M. McNicholas, attorney, was named grievance arbitration acting chief counsel.
The USPS logistics organization recently made the following reporting relationship changes:
• Ana L. Aguerrevere, regional transportation optimization logistics network implementation director; Paola R. Bonham, postal vehicle operator logistics network implementation director; and Adam D. Nelson, local network modeling manager, will report to Michael Melendrez, surface logistics senior director.
• Brandi S. Chappel, regional processing and distribution center logistics network implementation director, will report to Sara L. Zoldak, surface networks senior director.
• Richard A. Epperson, field air operations manager; and Tameka A. Mullings, terminal handling services logistics network implementation director, will report to Barbara F. Murph, field logistics strategy and support director.
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Check on passwords before open season begins
The Postal Service is reminding employees and retirees to confirm their login information now to ensure a smooth experience during the open season federal benefits enrollment period, which runs from Monday, Nov. 9, through Monday, Dec. 14.
Changes made during open season will take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
All employees and retirees will need a Login.gov account to access Postal Service Health Benefits Program open season applications. Those without a Login.gov account will need to create one and complete identity verification using a government-issued ID.
Employees and retirees should check their Login.gov username and password before open season begins. Those who have forgotten their password can select the “Forgot your password?” option on the sign in page to reset it.
Users should also confirm their LiteBlue password and make sure they have enabled multifactor authentication, as this will be needed to access PostalEASE.
View past printouts
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What's included
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Diwali is latest holiday to receive a new stamp
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Adding someone to your health plan this year?
The OPM now requires you to provide eligibility documents to get them covered
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Milestones
Appointments, awards and retirements
Here’s a look at recent USPS leadership announcements
-
Brief
Check on passwords before open season begins