In many parts of the country, the year-end holiday season has snow, and that means snowmen in various shapes and forms on lawns and landscapes delighting children of all ages.

The U.S. Postal Service joins the snow parade this year with stamps depicting illustrations of a quartet of snowmen familiar to everyone. In past years, the USPS not only showed snowmen but Santa Clauses, holiday wreaths and winter scenes to brighten the spirit, as well.

The 2002 issue features four 37-cent stamps displaying whimsical snowmen figures. The Postal Service says snowmen symbolize the joy that evokes childhood memories of playing in the snow.

The new quartet of stamps are from photos taken by Sally Andersen-Bruce of Connecticut. The figurines have been created from a variety of materials that range from 4 inches to 9 inches high and from 2 inches to 6 inches wide.

A plastic foam snowman wears a top hat. A corked wool snowman has a cork pipe. A hand-painted snowman sports a red plaid scarf. A rosy-cheeked snowman is regaled with a blue-and-white scarf.

The 2002 snowman issue will be released at post offices starting Oct. 29. First-day-of-issue postmarks will be available through the Stamp Fulfillment Services of the USPS by calling (800)-STAMP-24 and from the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com.