The Year of the Rat is coming soon. Many postal offices around the world have released commemorative stamps for the approaching Year of the Rat. United Nations Postal Administration issued stamps for Year of the Rat. (Photo: Xinhua)

China Post began to issue an annual set of postal stamps in 1980 to mark each of the 12 zodiac animal that matched the year. The Year of the Rat stamps, officially issued on Jan 5, 2020, are designed by Han Meilin, a prominent artist and designer whose zodiac sign is also rat. (File photo)

French postal service company La Poste issued two Year of Rat stamps to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. (Photo: Xinhua)

French postal service company La Poste issued two Year of Rat stamps to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. (Photo: Xinhua)

To welcome the Year of the Rat, the Philippine Postal Corporation released special stamps for the Lunar Year. (File photo)

Canada Post issued two stamps celebrating the Year of the Rat. (File photo)

Singapore Post Limited celebrates the Lunar New Year with the launch of a set of stamps depicting the rat, to welcome the Year of the Rat. (File photo)

The US Postal Service celebrates the Lunar New Year with the release of the Year of the Rat Forever stamp. (File photo)