New Stamp Booklets for Christmas

18 November 2002

The stamps depict four traditional nativity scenes and are based on original images taken from the 15th century French Book of Hours which were painted by the Flemish painters the Limbourgs.

Featured in the 2002 stamps depict the Adoration of the Magi 41c, the Annunciation 44c, the Annunciation to the Shepherds 57c. The Nativity is shown on the promotional stamps, which sells at 41c.

Booklets of self-adhesive Christmas stamps were first introduced in 1997. The have proven to be amongst the most successful stamp issues of the year – selling out in every year.

More than 40 million seasonal stamps have been produced by An Post for the Christian feast. The stamps and booklets were designed by Q Design. A first day cover features the Celebration of Mass at the Sainte Chapelle in Paris.

Vivian Harvey, the manager of Irish Stamps, said the Christmas stamp booklets had consistently been the most popular of the year and were certain to sell rapidly.

“Our mail volumes normally double during December and we want our customers to post early and avoid the disappointment of cards and greetings being delayed in any late rush,” he said.

To guarantee delivery before Christmas mail to Africa should be posted by December 3. Mail for the USA, Canada and South Central America, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines should be posted by December 7.

The final date for posting to Europe and the UK is Decembers 17, for Northern Ireland it is December 19, for Ireland the final date for posting if December 20 and for local delivery mail should be posted by December 21.

www.irishstamps.ie