Christmas Hug voted most beautiful Finnish stamp of 2013

Finns have voted the enchanting Christmas Hug as most beautiful Finnish stamp of 2013. The stamp designed by Ari Lakaniemi and Susanna Rumpu features child figures originally from an old post card. The background glows warm and golden, creating the mood of candlelight to this stamp that was issued in November 2013. 

Christmas Hug got a total of 10.5% of all the 18,224 votes. The voting took place on the Posti website and through the Postia Sinulle customer magazine. In 2013 in Finland, 76 stamps were issued in 23 different publications. 

Sauna on the Shore by Emil Bertell came in second with 8.9% of the votes. The stamp was published as part of the Signs of Fall miniature sheet of five stamps. The theme of this sheet, published in September 2013, is autumn in the countryside and the city. 

With 6.5% of the votes, the third most beautiful stamp according to Finns was Roses designed by Kaarina Toivanen, featuring a dark red traditional rose pictured using modern techniques. This stamp that is very suitable for special occasions was published in May 2013.

 In the top ten were also an angel, a delivery vehicle and some classic paintings 

The makers of the most beautiful stamp, Ari Lakaniemi and Susanna Rumpu, also had success with their other entries. Their Angel Christmas stamp was voted fourth most beautiful. Additionally, the Mail Delivery Vehicles stamp, also by the duo, came eighth in the vote. The expert panel of PostEurop voted the same stamp as the most beautiful European stamp in September 2013. 

The stamps designed by Emil Bertell also fared well in the vote; three of his stamps were included in the top ten. In addition to Sauna on the Shore that came in second, the stamps Rowboat and Park Bench of the Signs of Fall miniature sheet came in fifth and sixth.

Finnish art also appealed to the voters. Two stamps based on classic paintings by Eero Järnefelt were in the top ten of the most beautiful stamps. The miniature sheet designed by Teresa Moorhouse features Raatajat rahanalaiset (Under the Yoke/Burning the Brushwood) and Metsämaisema (Forest Scene) that came in seventh and tenth place, respectively. 

The ten most beautiful Finnish stamps of 2013 

1. Christmas Hug by Ari Lakaniemi and Susanna Rumpu
2. Signs of Fall: Sauna on the Shore by Emil Bertell
3. Roses by Kaarina Toivanen
4. Angel by Ari Lakaniemi and Susanna Rumpu 
5. Signs of Fall: Rowboat by Emil Bertell
6. Signs of Fall: Park Bench by Emil Bertell
7. Eero Järnefelt 150 years: Raatajat rahanalaiset (Under the Yoke/Burning the Brushwood) by Teresa Moorhouse
8. Europa: Mail Delivery Vehicles by Ari Lakaniemi and Susanna Rumpu
9. Summer Bouquet by Päivi Viita
10. Eero Järnefelt 150 years: Forest Scene by Teresa Moorhouse 

Further information

Itella Posti Oy

• Petri Pohjolainen, Product Manager, tel. +358 20 451 5572
• Tommi Kantola, Product Manager, tel. +358 20 451 5531
• Markku Penttinen, Development Director, tel. +358 20 451 5519
  firstname.lastname@posti.fi

Itella Communications

• Liisa Hertz, Communication Manager, tel. +358 50 376 6613,
  firstname.lastname@itella.com

Image material for the media 

All stamps available for sale are featured in Posti's online shop.