08 November 2016
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Royal Mail celebrates its fiftieth Christmas stamp issue with six festive stamps featuring well-loved Christmas traditions.
Royal Mail has issued Christmas stamps since 1966 and this year celebrates their fiftieth anniversary with festive stamps and associated products, including a presentation pack which takes a tour through five decades of Christmas-themed stamps.
The six stamps feature popular festive items which are recognisable the world over: a snowman, robin, Christmas tree, lantern, Christmas stocking and Christmas pudding. Artist Helen Musselwhite has created a series of intricate paper cut-out illustrations for the background of each stamp; with her detailed work featuring snowflakes, holly, stars and scrolls.
The stamps were designed by The Chase, who have used a series of Christmas-themed colours (red, blue, yellow and green) for the illustrations, with the Queen’s head silhouette reflecting the main colour of each stamp.
Stamp details
Issue date: 8 November, 2016
Design: The Chase
Paper-cut artwork: Jonathan Beer
Size: 24mm x 28mm (standard); 34mm x 28mm (large)
Printer: De La Rue Security Print
Print process: Gravure
Perforations: 14.5 x 15
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: Self-adhesive
Large: Snowman
Large: Robin
1st: Robin
2nd: Snowman
£1.05: Christmas tree
£1.33: Lantern
£1.52: Christmas stocking
£2.25: Christmas pudding