# 5029 - 2015 First-Class Forever Stamp - Contemporary Christmas: Charlie Brown with Snoopy Decorating his Doghouse

U.S. # 5029

2015 49¢ Decorating Doghouse

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Contemporary Christmas

Snoopy lives in a doghouse in Charlie Brown’s backyard.  In A Charlie Brown Christmas, it’s the sight of Snoopy decorating his doghouse that drives Charlie to despair.  It’s also the scene of the reunion in the finale, where the cast has removed Snoopy’s decorations and placed them on Charlie Brown’s tree.

Snoopy’s doghouse is a staple in the Peanuts franchise.  In the early days, Snoopy slept inside the house.  Beginning in 1958, he sleeps on the roof, locked to the top by his ears so he can’t fall off.

The doghouse is much bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside.  It features several rooms and levels, including space for seven children, a recreation room, a guest room, a den, a staircase, and a basement along with a servant’s entrance. 

The home’s furnishings reflect Snoopy’s eclectic personality.  Paintings by Van Gogh and Andrew Wyeth grace the walls.  Snoopy owns a pool table, a ping pong table, a basketball hoop, and a whirlpool bath.  Scattered around are empty soda bottles, a photo of singer Tiny Tim, and an album filled with pictures of every dog dish Snoopy has ever owned.

The doghouse is also featured in one of Snoopy’s most enduring fantasies, transformed into a Sopwith Camel flown by The World War I Flying Ace.

Each of the Charlie Brown Christmas stamps features a still taken from A Charlie Brown Christmas.  Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps.

Value: 49¢ 1-ounce first-class letter rate

Issued:  October 1, 2015 – 1 day before the 65^th anniversary of the first Peanuts comic strip

First Day City:  Santa Rosa, CA – at the Charles M. Schulz Museum

Type of Stamp: Commemorative


Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America for Sennett Security Products

Method: Offset printing in double-sided booklets 20


Perforation: Serpentine Die Cut 10 ¾  

Self-Adhesive

Quantity Printed: 50,000,000 stamps

In addition to marking the 65^th anniversary of the first Peanuts comic strip, these stamps marked the 50^th anniversary of the first airing of A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965.  This set was the second issue to honor the Peanuts.  The first came in 2007 (#3507) and pictured Snoopy atop his doghouse dressed as a World War I fighter ace.

These stamps were also issued for National Stamp Collecting Month and continued the long tradition of non-religious Christmas stamps.  The very first U.S. Christmas stamp was issued in 1962.