Royal Mail unveils Christmas stamps with Nativity scenes

Royal Mail has revealed its Christmas stamps, featuring scenes from the Nativity.

The series of five new stamps were created by designer Gareth Howat and illustrator Rebecca Sutherland.

They worked together to create a set of brightly illustrated stamps based on the Nativity story.

The stamps feature familiar scenes including Mary and Joseph travelling, the infant Jesus, an angel, the shepherds and the Three Wise Men.

David Gold, of Royal Mail, said: “There’s something very special about receiving a card or letter through the post at Christmas.

“We hope this year’s Christmas stamps will add an extra touch of festive magic to the millions of greetings sent to family and friends at home and around the world.”

Sutherland said: “It’s an absolute honour to have had the opportunity to illustrate Royal Mail’s Christmas stamps.

“Designing the Christmas stamps has always been right at the top of my list, so to be part of their long and distinguished history really does feel like a career highlight.

“I’ve loved stamps since I was a child.

“I used to collect them from envelopes, carefully take them off the paper, and arrange them into sets, so being asked to create a set myself feels incredibly special.”

This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the first-ever Christmas special stamp.

The first stamps, issued on December 1 1966, were the result of a children’s art competition announced by then-postmaster general Tony Benn in May of that year.