I suppose summer is officially over. Calendars indicate autumn doesn't begin until Sept. 22, but the era of kids going back to school just after Labor Day is ancient history. Family vacation memories are now just that — memories.

Even with the cost of fuel, airlines, hotels and other vacation requisites, many theme parks still enjoyed respectable crowds. The definitive icons, Disneyland and Disneyworld, certainly continued to see their share. However, the reign of Disney is ending — not in attendance but in the eyes of the U.S. Postal Service.

This month, the final "Art of Disney" postage stamps were issued. Four years ago, the first four stamps featuring various Disney characters debuted. Their popularity eclipsed that of all other stamps issued. Yes, the single Elvis stamp retains its spot as the most popular single stamp of all time with 124.1 million collected. But, cumulatively, the Disney stamps top 211 million.

Disney-related stamps technically date back to 1968, when Walt Disney had one issued in his honor. In 1998, "Snow White" was a part of the "Celebrate the Century" stamp series. Snow White made the cut because, in 1937, she premiered in the nation's first feature-length animated film. It won an Academy Award because the film was made by creating and shooting 240,000 separate drawings one-by-one.

Mickey Mouse is not only the most iconic of all the Disney characters, he may qualify as the most identifiable cartoon in the world. The origin of the name is equally interesting. Allegedly, a Hollywood actor working on a lot where Disney had his small studio stopped in one day to find the artist drawing the cartoon mouse. Disney asked him what he thought of it, and the actor said he loved it. Disney asked the actor his name. He said, "Mickey." According to the story, Disney then said, "How about I name the mouse Mickey?" He did. That actor was a very young Mickey Rooney.

The appearance of Disney characters on postage stamps may be a natural considering that, in 1918, Disney sorted and delivered mail in the Chicago Post Office. In 1933, Mickey Mouse also "worked" for the post office in the animated short film "Mail Pilot."

The four new and final Art of Disney stamps include images of: Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and her helpers Flora, Fauna and Merryweather; Pongo and a puppy from "101 Dalmatians;" Mowgli and Baloo from "The Jungle Book;" and Mickey Mouse himself. Considering this is the swan song for Mickey in the stamp series, it's only appropriate that the image on the stamp is from the film "Steamboat Willie" — his first animated public appearance.

The 42-cent stamps were issued this month and are available in post offices nationwide. A First Day of Issue ceremony was held at Disneyland. For those who couldn't attend, special First Day of Issue cancels can still be obtained by mail.

To receive one, purchase the stamps at a post office, affix one to a self-addressed envelope, and send that inside of a separate mailing envelope to: Disney Imagination Stamps, Postmaster, 701 N. Loara St., Anaheim, CA 92803-9998. The envelopes will be returned through regular mail. The cancel is free, but all orders MUST be postmarked by Oct. 6, 2008.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.