Ringing in the Holiday Season

It's hard to imagine the holidays without the radiant glow of a beautifully decorated, Christmas tree. The elegant and enchanting Christmas Tree stamp depicts a sparkling Christmas tree. The stamp's festive backdrop features a landscape of rolling hills and scattered snowflakes printed in clear, holographic foil that glitters in the light. The stamp is part of a holiday series that includes a snowman (2005) and a reindeer (2007).

Many Canadians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Canada Post continues its rich tradition of issuing Nativity stamps with three Christmas Nativity Scene stamps that feature phenomenal sculptures created by renowned Italian-Canadian sculptor Antonio Caruso. The international stamp features a shepherd, the domestic stamp depicts the Madonna and Child, and the U.S. rate stamp shows one of the Magi. The figures are arranged on the souvenir sheet as they appear in the creche.

"Thoughts of peace, joy and hope usually play a major role in our festivities, regardless of how we celebrate the holidays," said Robert Waite, Canada Post's Senior Vice-President of Corporate Social Responsibility. "These simple yet stunning stamps will add the perfect touch to any holiday mailing."

The Christmas Tree stamp measures 24 mm x 24 mm (square) with simulated perforation. Lowe-Martin printed 12 million stamps, which will be sold in booklets of 12 stamps. The pressure sensitive stamp will be printed on Tullis Russell paper using lithography in five colours plus holographic foil. They are general tagged on all sides. The Official First Day Cover will bear the cancel Shining Tree, Ontario.

The Nativity Scene stamps measure 24.75 mm x 32.25 mm (vertical) with simulated perforation. Lowe-Martin printed 12 million domestic rate stamps in booklets of 12 stamps, 5.4 million U.S. rate stamps in booklets of six stamps, and 5.4 million international rate stamps in booklets of six stamps. The stamps are pressure sensitive and printed on Tullis Russell paper. The domestic rate stamp will be printed using lithography in eight colours and the U.S. rate and international rate stamps will be printed using lithography in seven colours. They are general tagged on all sides. The Official First Day Cover will bear the cancel St. Mary's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Additional information about Canadian stamps can be found in the News section of Canada Post's website, and photos of these new stamps are also available. Stamps and other products will be available at participating post offices, or can be ordered online by following the links at Canada Post's website www.canadapost.ca/collection, or by mail order from the National Philatelic Centre. From Canada and the USA, call toll-free: 1 800 565-4362, and from other countries, call: 902 863-6550.