Year of the Sheep commemorative items shopping DONE (or so she thinks)
Given my last post, you’d think that I’m some kind of deep believer in the Chinese zodiac. Not at all. Erm…
The Chinese New Year collections put forth by Canada Post and Starbucks each year get my attention. I fawn over the cute animals, generally sniff at the odd artistic style, and fall all over the ones with significance to me. Like how I use the Year of the Horse card as my default card in my Starbucks app. Not so much a coin collector (although the stash I do have might contradict me) – I don’t buy coins. Price point is higher, too. ;)
Usually, I’m late to the game. Getting the stamps is fairly easy but I forget and find that every Starbucks is out of the Chinese New Year card. The New Year is a little later this year (February 19) but I’m also all over it. Because Ebates.ca.
Haha, I have learned my lesson. I don’t shop online overly but I have rued in the recent past purchases I have made without checking if the shop is affiliated with Ebates. Hopefully nevermore! Both Starbucks (Canada) and Canada Post are with Ebates and I handily got some rebate while crazily collecting Chinese New Year paraphernalia.
Starbucks Canada (and US)
Let’s start off with the easy one – one choice for Year of the Sheep Starbucks cards whether you’re in the US shop or the Canadian one. I checked because I would be mighty torn if the two countries had different one and which ever design should I set as my default then??
Canada Post
I find the scroll look of the souvenir sheet striking – must be the Chinese in me. Even more striking is the limited edition (only 700 produced) framed souvenir sheet (picture on the right) but it is beyond my budget. “The souvenir sheet is decorated with a rain of gold petals, representing an idealized landscape where three rams rest under a tree filled with plum blossoms. The design is inspired by China’s Danxia mountains and created by stamp designer Hélène L’Heureux who draws on the rams peacefulness.”
The souvenir sheet is featured again on the souvenir sheet official first day cover. It doubles as a lucky red pouch so should we use it for someone, that someone is really special to us, lol.
I picked up an official first day cover because it actually features the domestic stamp with the three rams sitting peacefully together. If I’m going to frame all of the materials together, this more gray tone piece will offset all of the red and gold!
Then, what did I spy? A Year of the Horse to Year of the Ram: Transitional Souvenir Sheet – featuring the new year but also last year’s stamp which I did not purchase. And what do you know – The Year of the Snake to Year of the Horse: Transitional Souvenir Sheet is still available so I got one of those too although it is woefully brilliant red.
Finally, because it’s 75% off! and limited edition and signed and framed, I couldn’t resist picking up a Year of the Ram (2003) framed print. It looks pretty tasteful. I might give it away afterall, an item or two in my order was added in order to make the minimum purchase for free shipping. ;)
Canada Post’s Chinese New Year items were released on January 8, 2015 and I so happened to had to make a post office run and saw the promo material and made my order on the auspicious ;) day.