Christmas is coming and Christmas stamps will be available from Wednesday, November 4. This year’s Christmas stamps were created through a design competition held by Posti together with the University of Lapland’s Faculty of Art and Design. The aim of the competition was to find stamps full of traditional Christmas atmosphere, and this is exactly what the winning entries Village Elf and Christmas Cottage have.
In the no-value indicator stamp for Christmas greetings, a Christmas elf is peeking through a window into a warm and cozy cottage, leaving behind only footprints in the snow. The Village Elf stamp was illustrated by Ida Sarisalmi, who studies interior and textile design. The stamp’s colors highlight the contrast between the cold exterior log wall and the warm interior and the overall atmosphere. The no-value indicator stamp for Christmas greetings will be issued as a 20-stamp booklet.
The anticipation of Christmas can be felt in the Christmas domestic no-value indicator stamp. The cottage has been cleaned, the Christmas tree has been decorated and the candles are glowing warmly. Even the dog knows that a great celebration is coming. Jutta Luukkonen, a graphic design student, illustrated the Christmas Cottage stamp using a watercolor technique that gives the stamp an atmosphere reminiscent of the Christmases one celebrated as a child. The Christmas domestic no-value indicator stamp will be issued as a 10-stamp sheet and a 5-stamp booklet.
The Christmas international no-value indicator stamp has the same theme as the domestic Christmas stamps. The stamp features a village made up of single-family homes with gable roofs built in the 1920s. “In this village, social life is active and neighbors know and visit each other. The light from the neighboring house makes one feel warm and calm,” says Matti Pikkujämsä, the designer of the Welcome to the Village! stamp. The Christmas international no-value indicator stamp will be issued as a 10-stamp sheet.
The nostalgic Sled Ride stamp depicts a girl holding a rooster in her lap. The stamp, which was photographed by Suvi Roiko, is suitable for all winter greetings. “This pair of friends is riding a kicksled and in the background you can see a snowy field. Their journey continues as snow falls from the sky,” says Roiko. The photo is part of a series in which Roiko depicts the relationship between animals and children. The domestic no-value indicator stamp Sled Ride will be issued as a 10-stamp sheet.
Please note! Due to restrictions related to the coronavirus situation, Posti will not organize a first-day event for the stamps published in November.
Christmas greetings sent by mail within Finland with a no-value indicator stamp will reach their recipients in time if they are mailed at the latest on Monday, December 14. At the beginning of November, Posti will launch its Christmas website posti.fi/joulu. The website will feature all Christmas mailing schedules for Finland and abroad. Send your Christmas mail abroad in good time as the coronavirus pandemic is causing delays to some transport connections.
Image material for the media: https://digilibrary.emmi.fi/l/GZRx-VHtd6rd
