Smurfs on Stamps

Today a whole new generation of children will be introduced to the world of Smurfs when a new film debuts featuring the small blue creatures.  

In 1958, Belgian cartoonist Peya introduced Smurfs to the world in a series of comic strips, making their first appearance in the Belgian comics magazine Le Journal de Spirou.

In 1984, a Smurf carrying a letter appeared on the Belgian stamp shown above marking Youth Philately.

In 2008, Belgian Post celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Smurfs by issuing a souvenir sheet featuring a outdoor party scene and a booklet.

According to the Cartoon Philately website, this release was accompanied by an awareness campaign by the Belgian Post to get children to use their services again. If they managed to collect ten different, cancelled Smurf stamps, they receive free Smurfs gifts and can compete for bigger prizes.