October 26, 2007
Ottawa - Do you hear what I hear? It's the excited voices of children talking about the holidays. Adults are also planning holiday mailings to family and friends, and many postal administrations, including Canada Post, are issuing their Christmas stampsa sure sign that the holiday season is just around the corner.
Three of the four stamps Canada Post will issue appeal to the sacred (Hope, Joy and Peace), while the fourth, a playful rendition of a Reindeer leaping in the snow, antlers decorated with Christmas lights, speaks to the child in everyone. The stamps will be available as of November 1.
Designer Naomi Broudo of Tandem Design Associates Ltd. has created a set of three stamps, each presenting a message depicted through complementary combinations of words and symbols centered on Stephanie Carter's Manger (domestic rate/Permanent™ ), Steve Hepburn's Angel (U.S. rate/93¢), and Jonathan Milne's Dove (international rate/$1.55).
The Hope stamp is one of the two first ever seasonal Permanent stamps and will be available in booklets of 12. The U.S. rate Joy stamp and the International rate Peace stamp will be available in booklets of six. Lowe-Martin printed 27 million Permanent rate domestic stamps, 6.9 million 93-cent stamps and 6 million $1.55 stamps. The stamps measure 30.75 mm x 30.75 mm. The stamps were printed by Lowe-Martin on Tullis Russell paper. The Hope and the Joy stamps were printed using lithography in five colours; while the Peace stamps was printed using lithography in four colours. The pressure sensitive stamps are general tagged on all sides. Official First Day Cover cancellations on the Hope, Joy and Peace stamps will have three cancellations which will read HOPE BC; ANGE-GARDIEN QC; and PEACE RIVER AB.
The fourth stamp, the Reindeer, the second seasonal Permanent stamp, was designed in the same style as that of the snowman in 2005. Hélène L'Heureux's creation is of a joyful reindeer dancing under the aurora borealis or "Northern Lights". The green and pink colour scheme evokes the signature shimmers of metallic holiday decorations and glittering snowflakes. Lowe-Martin printed 44 millions pressure sensitive stamps which measure 24 mm x 24 mm and will be available in booklets of 12. The stamps were printed on Tullis Russell paper using lithography in five colours plus one clear holographic stamping. The Official First Day Cover cancellation reads TUKTOYAKTUK NT.
More information on these commemorative stamps is available in the Newsroom section of the Canada Post Web site; and photos of the stamps are available in the Photo Centre of the Newsroom. The stamps and Official First Day Covers will be available at participating post offices, online following the links on the Canada Post Web site (www.canadapost.ca) or by mail from the National Philatelic Centre. From Canada or the United States, call toll-free 1 800 565-4362; from other countries call 902 863-6550.
