The four stages of the 1934 light blue plate are confusing and often difficult to see on the complete Christmas Seals. These images were photo-shopped from a stage one light blue plate, Eureka progressive color proof.
Clearly, the National Tuberculosis Association kept cutting away more and more of the light blue plate so the wording, "Season's Greetings", the date, "1934" and finally the double barred cross, were more visible. Unless the plates were aligned perfectly, these details were hard to see.
The first 3 stages of the light blue plate were used on common Christmas Seal printings. Eureka, early printing of Strobridge, and Edwards & Deutsch used stage one. Stage two was used by USPS. Stage three was used on later printing of Strobriodge and Stage four is a rare Strobridge variety, existing only as a complete seal.
Light Blue Plate Stages
1) “Season’s Greetings 1934” is in characters slightly larger than on the ultramarine plate
2) “Season’s Greetings” has been cut away leaving a white panel in its place, but “1934” is still as in stage 1
3) “1934” has also been cut away leaving a squat T-shaped white panel in place of lettering and date
4) The cross has also been cut away bringing the white panel to a point at about the center of the seal. The white panels are covered by the ultramarine screen in the complete seals, but show quite clearly through the screen.