In 2018, just a year after issuing the first thematic series of self-adhesive labels for its postal equipments (see articles, published in VARIABLE 44 & 46), the Isle of Man Post Office began releasing an annual Christmas series. Six years later, the seventh special set of Christmas labels of variable value stamps is dedicated to the Victorian Christmas.
You can find articles on all the previous series on our former website and in the various issues of VARIABLE.
The new series of six designs is part of the ‘Father Christmas’ collection, released on October 28th 2024. Andrew Robinson’s six Victorian illustrations are inspired by old images of Father Christmas from the second half of the 19th century. It was during this period that the United Kingdom adopted many of the Christmas customs that continue today, such as the sending of Christmas cards and the introduction of Christmas trees, a tradition brought from Germany by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband.
Complementing these six designs, the Isle of Man Post Office also issued a set of ‘traditional’ stamps featuring the Manx legend ‘Nollick Ghennal’ (Merry Christmas). The series is available in different formats; packs, sheets, booklets and covers with a special postmark.
The Isle of Man Post Office has also produced rolls of 1500 self-adhesive thermal labels with these same illustrations for use by the various types of postal machines printing variable value stamps in service on the island, known locally as VVD or VRD (Variable Value / Rate Definitive stamps).
