The traditional Christmas stamps have been purchased, just enough for the cards I send.
Angela at Tracing Rainbows wrote
about this years stamps in her post and why they have strange bar-code
things. These have been designed by Jorge Cocco and I found this
Mine are the second class stamps but I love the colours in the more expensive versions. They really are miniature works of art this year.
This year is the 55th year that Royal Mail have issued specially designed Christmas stamps. The stamp below is the 3d one from that first year - 1966 (That's 1¼p in decimal) from my own stamp collection. The Post Office collaborated with the Children's TV programme Blue Peter to choose a design from 5000 entries to a competition.
There have been some lovely designs over the years both secular and religious. I found more about the Christmas issue stamps on a website called All About Stamps. and discovered the first US Christmas stamp was issued in 1962
Back Tomorrow
I love the colours in the turquoise stamps - a similar colour range to a reindeer design in the X-Stitch magazine I treated myself to this week. I agree, they are little works of art.
ReplyDeleteI remember the Blue Peter competition! Bob's stamp albums didn't make the move - we sent them to a charity. Is philately still popular with children today?
ReplyDeleteMy oldest stamp album has moved as many times as me - which is quite a lot!
DeleteOh I used to love the Blue Peter competitions and Christmas collections. I remember being told off for taking the foil top of a pint of milk still in use in the fridge as I wanted to add it to the envelope I was posting off 😀
ReplyDeleteThe recent stamps I liked best were the Post Box ones, they were lovely.📮
They almost look too pretty to tear off and affix to cards. Do people still collect stamps I wonder, the ones from far off islands so exciting and mysterious when a child.
ReplyDeleteI love waiting to see the Christmas stamps and always cut them off the envelopes to keep some - I have quite a collection now but none as far back as 1966.
ReplyDeleteI have lots from 1966 through to the 1990s then it all stops
DeleteThe girl (now an adult, of course) who deigned that first stamp was in the audience of one of the QI Christmas specials a few years ago. She said although it was called Good King Wenceslas, it was really modelled on her dad!
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All my Christmas cards were mailed earlier this week with one design of Christas stamps. I'll be using them for awhile for other mail because I bought too many. I like to choose the stamps I use all through the year. The PO always has an assortment to choose from.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't often comment, I read your blog every day and really have been enjoying your advent posts. Thank you, Sue. --Elise
ReplyDeleteThank you Elise - I'm glad you are enjoying the December posts - I love writing them
DeleteLove the stamps...love love your blog.
ReplyDeleteInteresting looking stamps. I haven't bought Christas stamps for a while, I must admit. I do like receiving cards/letters with them on though. They are interesting to see.
ReplyDeleteThose stamps really are works of art.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
The turquoise stamps are very beautiful. The postal person told me my card size and weight required to many stamps and required a metered seal. I was disappointed because I love Christmas stamps on my mail.
ReplyDeleteLovely stamps. I bought 2 set of stamps (20 per set) that looked very Christmas like. Other 2 sets of stamps I bought are sea otters in snow. I buy them before the rate rises, as not sure if they will soon in USA. I like the old USA stamp! British ones look nice as well!
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