Today's column concludes the six-part preview of U.S. issues planned for 2000.
Deap-Sea Creatures: This sheet kicks off National Stamp-Collecting month in October. The five life forms represented on these stamps -- fanfin anglerfish, sea cucumber, fangtooth, amphipod and medusa -- provide a glimpse into a vast and alien world seen by few people. The deep sea, also referred to as the mid-water range of the ocean, is defined as the area that starts below the top zone (pelagic zone), where the light in the water begins to taper off, and descends to the ocean floor (benthic zone). The depth of the mid-water range differs according to location. The deep sea is the most expansive animal habitat on Earth, and the dominant physical factors are darkness, cold and high pressure. The creatures that live in these conditions possess bizarre body forms and unusual lifestyles that differ greatly from creatures that inhabit more benign regions.
Thanksgiving: This stamp's release coincides with the United Nations proclamation of 2000 as the International Year of Thanksgiving. The U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, observed on the fourth Thursday in November, stems from a rich history of celebrations. The best known of these, the first harvest festival at Plymouth, played an important role in shaping this American tradition. In autumn 1621, about 50 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans gathered for a three-day feast to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Over the years, more and more Americans adopted the custom of an autumnal feast, and President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation of Thanksgiving marked the beginning of national recognition of an annual Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. The cornucopia, a motif appropriately associated with the Thanksgiving holiday, traditionally represents abundance. Artist Margaret Cusack designed and created a quilted cornucopia using old and new fabrics. In a style that reflects American folk-art stitchery, Cusack produced the machine-appliquM-id illustration specifically for this stamp.