A set of 5 Christmas stamps have been issued by MaltaPost all illustrating traditional festive season celebratory events.

The stamps each carry a denomination of €0.45 and are intended to “reinforce the festive atmosphere generated by the Nativity of Jesus.” All stamp illustrations are the work of Maltese artist Marisa Attard.

Two stamps of the set, depict Santa Claus, better known as Father Christmas, as a benevolent old man with a flowing white beard, wearing a red gown and cap. Santa is shown encircled within a traditional Maltese “qag?qa tal-g?asel” (Honey-Ring) which is a local ring-shaped sweet pastry with a honey-based filling.

A third stamp bears an illustration of Baby Jesus with a lamb in His arms, strengthening the Christmas message that Jesus is the “Lamb of God.”

A fourth stamp shows the Virgin Mary and Child Jesus, an important Christian symbol that portrays the perfect love between mother and child.

The fifth stamp is an illustration of two altar boys, one delivering the traditional “Il-Priedka tal-Milied” (The Christmas Sermon) when a young altar-boy delivers the Christmas message during Christmas Eve Holy Mass.

This set will be issued in a sheet of 10 stamps, with each stamp measuring 44mm x 31mm, with a comb perforation of 13.9 x 14.0 and bearing the Maltese Cross watermark. The sheets measure 182mm x 115mm and were produced by Printex Ltd in the offset process. The issue consists of 100,000 €0.45 stamps.

The stamps will be available from all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo from Wednesday 4 December 2024. Orders may be placed online at www.maltaphilately.com or by mail from the Philatelic Bureau, MaltaPost p.l.c., 305, Qormi Road, Marsa, MTP 1001; by telephone 2596 1740 or via e-mail info@maltaphilately.com

Photo: MaltaPost

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