The Christmas 2018 stamps go back to the roots of this annual celebration – the Nativity scene. The enchanting and enduring Nativity story encapsulates the meaning of Christmas for many.
Issue information
Christmas is a cultural phenomenon that brings many families together once a year in New Zealand. An official national public holiday in New Zealand since the early 20th century, Christmas is celebrated in a Southern Hemisphere summer. Christmas Day and Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) are public holidays, as well as New Year’s Day and the day after.
These beautifully illustrated stamps feature key characters in the Nativity story – Mary, baby Jesus, Joseph, a Christmas angel, three wise men, and a humble shepherd.
$1.20 The Virgin Mary
An angel appeared to Mary and told her she was to be the mother of Jesus through the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit.
$1.20 The Baby Jesus
Jesus was born in a stable Bethlehem because there were no rooms available in the town. Joseph and his wife-to-be Mary had travelled to Bethlehem to register for a census, and all the inns were full.
$2.40 The Christmas Angel
An angel appeared before poor shepherds and led them to the lowly stable in Bethlehem.
$3.00 The Wise Men
Far to the east, a group of wise men saw a new star in the sky. They followed the star to Bethlehem, taking with them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
$3.60 The Humble Shepherd
The shepherds recounted that an angel had told them of the birth of Christ the Lord.
Miniature Sheet and First Day Covers
The 2018 Christmas stamps are available both gummed and self-adhesive. The gummed first day cover includes all five stamps, while the self-adhesive stamps include the two $1.20 stamps, the $2.40 stamp and the $3.00 stamp. Both the miniature sheet and self-adhesive first day cover feature the flower of the pōhutukawa, the native tree considered to be New Zealand’s Christmas tree as it usually blooms in December. The gummed first day cover features a larger illustration of the shepherd, while the self-adhesive first day cover features the Christmas angel.
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 7 November 2018 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Five gummed and four self-adhesive |
| Denominations: | $1.20 x2, $2.40, $3.00, $3.60 |
| Stamps, miniature sheet and first day covers designed by: | Saint Andrew Matautia, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer: | Southern Colour Print Ltd, Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Number of colours: | Gummed and self-adhesive: four process colours; Miniature sheet: four process colours and gold foiling |
| Stamp size and format: | Gummed: 30mm x 40mm (vertical); Self-adhesive: 25mm x 30mm (vertical) |
| Miniature sheet size: | 115.02mm x 101.98 |
| Paper type: | Gummed stamps: Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper; Self-adhesive stamps: Tullis Russell red phosphor PSA stamp paper; Self-adhesive booklets: Tullis Russell red phosphor PSA stamp paper; Self-adhesive dispenser box: Ritrama Semigloss 80 stamp paper one-sided AP969 WK85; Gummed miniature sheet: Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 25 |
| Perforation gauge: | Gummed: 14 x 14; Self-adhesive: die cut |
| Special blocks: | Plate/Imprint blocks may be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks are available in A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: | Unless stocks are exhausted earlier, these stamps will remain on sale until 6 November 2019. First day covers will remain on sale until 14 January 2019. |
