On Nov. 3, Ireland’s An Post issued three stamps to commemorate this year’s holiday season.
Every year, An Post releases Christmas stamps to mark its busiest period of the year. Through November and December, the postal service sorts and delivers millions of cards and letters between every home in Ireland and every corner of the world.
This year’s stamps were designed by WorkGroup, of Dublin, with three designs celebrating the yuletide festivities. The design theme is “People Coming Together,” which is very important to the Irish: this is the time of year when many families all over Ireland are preparing to welcome home their sons and daughters, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends.
These stamps were issued as stamps on a roll, or SOAR.
The idea of people coming together is represented by The Holy Family on the 72-cent stamp and The Three Wise Men on the €1.10 SOAR (stamps on a roll). This illustration uses simple two-dimensional forms and patterns, lacking perspective, and these are reminiscent of those seen in early Christian manuscripts.
An Post’s 2016 Christmas issue also includes this first-day cover featuring the three stamps.
The third stamp, which will appear in the Christmas Stamp Booklet, features numerous types of Christmas decorations, which also symbolize union as families come together to decorate their homes.