05 November 2019
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Royal Mail’s most eagerly-anticipated issue of the year has been revealed – a re-telling of the nativity story, with beautiful paper-art used to present this well-known narrative in a new way.
They are the stamps that most of us will see more times than any other this year, as we send and receive our Christmas mail. Christmas 2019 is Royal Mail’s festive stamp issue and is centered around eight Special Stamps that take us through a retelling of the Christmas story.
Paper-cut artists Hari & Deepti have been commissioned to create colourful illustrations that make use of this delicate art, with a clever use of light and shade to put the focus on the nativity with its familiar cast of characters including Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, the angel, shepherds and the three kings. These figures are so familiar to most of us that we perhaps sometimes take them for granted, but these striking portrayals bring a new focus to a 2,000-year-old tale and encourage the viewer to appreciate the nativity story for its simplicity and longevity.
Stamp details
Christmas 2019
Issue date: 5 November 2019
Design: Charlie Smith Design
Illustrations: Hari & Deepti
Printer: International Security Printers
Print process: Gravure
Perforations: 14.5 x 15
Gum: Self adhesive
Stamp size (standard): 24mm x 28mm
Stamp size (large): 34mm x 28mm
1st Mary with baby Jesus
2nd Angel Gabriel
£1.35 Shepherd and Christmas star
£1.55 Jesus in the manger
£1.60 The shepherds
£2.30 Three Kings
Large Mary with baby Jesus
Large Angel Gabriel
Read the full stamp review in the December issue of Stamp & Coin Mart.