Royal Mail Christmas stamps feature religious and secular images
by Jenna Lyle
Posted: Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 13:00 (GMT)
The Royal Mail broke with tradition on Tuesday with the issuing of its first ever Christmas collection of stamps to feature religious and secular images at the same time.
The Royal Mail has issued special edition Christmas stamps for more than 40 years featuring until this year only religious images.
The 2008 collections sees the religious 1st class stamp depicting the 'Madonna of Humility' by Lippo di Dalmasio, with 'Madonna and Child' by William Dyce on the 2nd class stamp.
On the secular stamps are images of classic pantomime characters, including Cinderella, Peter Pan, Aladdin and Snow White.
Julietta Edgar, Head of Special Stamps, Royal Mail said: "Every year customers look forward to our Christmas stamps, which have been brightening up the festive season for more than 40 years.
"This year we are delighted to offer our customers a choice of Christmas stamps and the images will be seen on millions of letters and cards throughout the UK as well as on gifts sent across the globe."
The Royal Mail said it was expecting two billion items to be sent over the Christmas season, including 750 million Christmas cards.
It predicted Monday 15 December to be its busiest day, with 123 million items to be delivered compared to the average daily figure of around 80 million.
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Added: Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 20:34 (GMT)
I searched high and low, and every post office in my area, over the last three weeks and there were no religious-themed Christmas stamps to be found. I was offered the alternative panto ones everywhere, and told that they either didn't have or had sold out of the religious designs. In addition this year's religious designs were repeats of last year (2007). Either too few were made and distributed, or there has been an exceptionally high demand. While I hope for the latter I fear it may be the former. I have no problem with alternative designs with customers having a choice between sacred and secular. I do have a problem with not having that choice, so this year have used ordinary stamps with no special design rather than be pressured into accepting secular designs. I fear if too many people take the panto stamps the next we will hear is that there was not a great demand for religious ones.
Mary L Davis, Church Crookham, Hampshire
