Starchild: Why Malaysian kids enjoy collecting stamps

Joanna Tan, 12

One small piece of paper once played a huge role in connecting people around the world. It is the humble postage stamp; a tiny, colourful item that narrates big stories.

Kelly Mei Hwa Tan Nathan, 10The first postage stamp was created in 1840 in Britain. It was called the Penny Black, and it had a picture of Queen Victoria on it.

Before stamps existed, sending a letter was very confusing. The person receiving the letter had to pay for it and fees were not fixed.

Some people refused to pay, so letters ended up undelivered.

Stamps changed all that. Once you stuck one on a letter, it meant the postage has been paid and your message could travel safely to its destination.

Stamps can feature animals, famous people, historical events, cartoon characters and even space exploration.

Countries use them to showcase their culture and achievements. That is why collecting stamps – called philately – is a popular and fun hobby for both kids and adults.

Every stamp has a story, and some rare ones are worth a lot of money too.

So the next time you see a colourful stamp, take a moment and look closely. Who is on it? What story is it telling? Maybe it will inspire you to start your own stamp collection. One little stamp could open up a whole world of adventure!

Here are the second batch of letters on the topic, Stamps.

Ong Keat Hsin,10Joanna Tan, 12, writes, “My relatives often send me postcards from overseas and each postcard comes with a unique stamp. Those little images carry stories from the places they visited and the scenery in those countries. When I look at the stamps, I feel connected to them, almost as if a tiny piece of their journey has travelled all the way to me. That is why stamps are special to me.”

Mohd Zain Zulkifli, seven, says: “I want to collect stamps when I grow up so I can have a big book full of pretty pictures.”

Nurul Aishah Ibrahim, 11, writes: “Stamps are like tiny pictures that can travel around the world. My teacher showed us many different stamps in class. There were stamps of animals, roses and even famous people. I think stamps are important because they help letters reach the right place.”

“I started collecting stamps last year after my cousin gave me his old album. Now I have more than 50 stamps! I like how every stamp has a story.

"Some stamps show history, like special festivals or important events. I also like learning about other countries from their stamps. One day, I hope to find a rare stamp to add to my collection,” says Kelly Mei Hwa Tan Nathan, 10.

Sabrina Ariffin, 6Sabrina Ariffin, six, writes: “My stamp design is a cat because I love cats. Cats make me happy because they are soft and like to play. I want my stamp to show how adorable cats are. If there is a real stamp like this, I would put it on all my letters.”

ITEM: Christmas is just around the corner, and we want to know how you celebrate this magical time of year. Do you put up a Christmas tree, hang stockings or bake yummy cookies? For this week’s Starchild, send us your best Christmas drawings and letters.

You can draw anything you like – Santa Claus, reindeer, snowman, your favourite Christmas food or even how Christmas looks in Malaysia!

Email your contribution to [e-mail] by Dec 12. Please put “STARCHILD: Christmas” in the subject line of your email.

Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact number and address. Instead of handwritten letters, please type out your letters.