Season's greetings
We have today revealed our 2018 Christmas Special Stamps images.
The six stamp designs celebrate one of the UK’s best-loved Christmas traditions – sending festive greetings in the post to friends and family far and wide.
Available in First Class, Second Class, Large Letter and overseas values, the images on the stamps were illustrated by Stroud-based artist, Andrew Davidson.
While creating the images, Andrew discovered that in just over 100 years, there have been six monarchs. As such, each of the postboxes on the stamps features a monarch’s cypher.
The postboxes vary in design – from the early hexagonal ‘Penfold’ design of the 19th century to contemporary postboxes and ‘lamp’ boxes (those affixed to posts) – all still in use today.
Andrew said: ‘Knowing my illustrations on the 2018 Christmas stamps will be winging their way around the world delivering season’s greetings to friends and family, gives me a real sense of festive joy.’
Since 1982, Andrew has worked on more than 12 stamp issues for Royal Mail.
As usual, religious Christmas stamps of the Madonna and Child in First Class and Second Class rates will also be available from Post Office branches.
You can watch our stamps printing journey below.
Remember to post early for Christmas
We are encouraging all our customers to post their festive greetings early, and order their online gifts and shopping well in advance, to help our postmen and women deliver the bumper festive mailbag.
The latest recommended posting dates for Christmas 2018 are:
- Tuesday 18 December for Second Class Mail
- Thursday 20 December for First Class Mail
- Saturday 22 December for Special Delivery.
Further information is available at www.royalmail.com/greetings.
Stamps and stamp products are available at www.royalmail.com/christmas2018, by phone on 03457 641 641 and at 7,000 Post Offices across the UK.
