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Royal Mail unveils Christmas stamp designs





ROYAL Mail is encouraging customers in Caithness to post their festive greetings early and order their online gifts and shopping well in advance to help its posties deliver a bumper festive mailbag.

It comes as the company today unveiled this year’s Christmas stamps with a series of festive family traditions depicted – from carol singing and ice skating to posting cards, making snowmen and buying trees.

The tradition of sending Christmas cards was established in the UK in 1843 and just 1000 of them were produced.

Royal Mail first produced special stamps for Christmas in 1966 when it ran a competition on BBC’s Blue Peter giving children the opportunity to design the stamps.

Andrew Hammond, Royal Mail stamps spokesperson, said: "Christmas is a stamp issue we particularly look forward to and the charming style of these designs sets the perfect tone for the festive season."

The last posting dates for delivery within the UK in time for Christmas are December 18 for second class; December 20 for first-class mail and December 23 for special delivery.

Last posting dates for international mail:

• Airmail to Asia, Far East (including Japan), New Zealand: December 3

• Airmail to Australia: December 4

• Airmail to South and Central America, Caribbean, Africa, Middle East: December 5

• Airmail to Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece: December 8

• Airmail to Canada and Poland: December 9

• Airmail to USA, International Standard to static BFPOs: December 12

• Airmail to western Europe (excluding Greece, Poland): December 13

For almost 50 years, Royal Mail’s special stamp programme has commemorated and celebrated events and anniversaries pertinent to UK heritage and life. Today, there are an estimated 2.5 million stamp collectors and gifters in the UK and millions worldwide. Her Majesty the Queen approves all UK stamp designs before they are printed.


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