Royal Mail has revealed its official Christmas stamps for this year, featuring a series of illustrations depicting scenes from the Nativity.
Design and Anniversary Details
The collection consists of five distinct stamps created through a collaboration between graphic designer Gareth Howat and illustrator Rebecca Sutherland. The artwork showcases familiar moments of the Christmas story, including Mary and Joseph on their journey, baby Jesus, an angel, the shepherds, and the Three Wise Men.
This year’s release holds special significance as it marks the 60th anniversary of the introduction of the first-ever Christmas special stamp. Commenting on the project, Sutherland described the assignment as an “absolute honour.” She mentioned that she had loved stamps and collected them since childhood, adding that being asked to design a set herself felt incredibly special.
History of Festive Stamps
Recent festive stamp collections from Royal Mail have varied in theme, featuring snowy depictions of United Kingdom cathedrals, lyrics from well-known carols, as well as Nativity scenes in the previous year. The tradition originated in December 1966 following a children’s art competition initiated by the postmaster general at the time, Tony Benn.
Speaking about the latest release, David Gold of Royal Mail stated that the organization hopes the stamps will add an extra touch of festive magic to the millions of holiday greetings sent to friends and family across the domestic and international mail systems.
