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Christmas Tree

Christmas

Stamp Info

Name Value
Date of Issue November 2, 2009
Year 2009
Quantity 12,000,000
Denomination
PERMANENT™ (P).
Current monetary value: $0.92.
Perforation or Dimension Simulated perforation
Series Christmas
Series Time Span 2009
Printer Lowe-Martin Company Inc.
Postal Administration Canada

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Stamp Price Values

Condition Name Avg Value
M-NH-VF
Mint - Never Hinged - Very Fine Only available to paid users
U-VF
Used - Very Fine Only available to paid users
* Notes about these prices:
  • They are not based on catalogue values but on current dealer and auction listings. The reason for this is that catalogues tend to over-value stamps.
  • They are average prices. The actual value of your stamp may be slightly above or below the listed value, depending on the overall condition of your stamp. Use these prices as a guide to determine the approximate value of your stamps.

Stamp Supplies on Amazon

Layouts

Booklet of 12 stamps

Quantity Produced - 1,000,000
Current Purchase Price: Only available to paid users
Original Purchase Price: $6.48
Cancellation Location: Shining Tree, Ontario
Perforation: Simulated perforation
Dimension: 24 mm x 24 mm (square)
Printing Process: Lithography in 5 colours plus holographic foil
Gum Type: Pressure sensitive
Tagging: General, 4 sides
Paper: Tullis Russell
Add to List

Official First Day Cover (OFDC) Cancellation

Quantity Produced - 19,000
Current Purchase Price: Only available to paid users
Original Purchase Price: $1.54
Cancellation Location: Shining Tree, Ontario
Perforation: Simulated perforation
Dimension: 24 mm x 24 mm (square)
Printing Process: Lithography in 5 colours plus holographic foil
Gum Type: Pressure sensitive
Tagging: General, 4 sides
Paper: Tullis Russell
Add to List

About Stamp

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
The sight of thee at Christmastide
Spreads hope and gladness far and wide
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree
Thou tree most fair and lovely!

Excerpt, O Tennembaum

Elegant and enchanting, lively and crisp, it’s hard to imagine the holiday season without the radiant glow of a Christmas tree. And did you know that this cherished tradition flourished from a history as rich and illustrious as the bells, baubles and tinsel that adorn our trees each year?

Thousands of years ago, when the well-being of entire cultures depended on the fruitfulness of the land, trees and other plant life were considered sacred. Evergreens were said to possess exceptional vitality and power, as they continue to survive and flourish when deprived of warmth and sunlight. It was a common pagan custom to use such greenery as décor during winter solstice celebrations, as these trees, wreaths and garlands were reminders of better times to come—the promise of new life in spring.

The Germanic people kept this custom alive for centuries and established Christmas tree decorating as we know it today. The tradition was introduced to England during the mid-1800s and popularized throughout North America by German and British immigrants around the same time. Early trees were lit with candles and decorated with apples, nuts, pastries, ribbon, and other homemade ornaments. Many millennia since the tradition began, evergreens continue to inspire the holiday season with feelings of hope and good cheer.

This November, Canada Post rings in the holiday season with a PERMANENT™ domestic rate stamp featuring a snow-covered Christmas tree. The stamp is part of a holiday series that includes a snowman (2005) and a reindeer (2007).

“To fit with the series, the Christmas tree stamp had to convey the same simplicity that characterized the first two,” explains designer Hélène L’Heureux. To accomplish this, L’Heureux combined bright colours with strong graphic shapes. “While simplicity and boldness grab attention, careful attention to detail adds elegance and captivates audiences.” To produce this effect, she tells us, “It’s all in the details: The tree was drawn with careful attention to the roundness of its snow-covered branches, which contrasts with the sharpness of the Christmas lights.” According to L’Heureux, creating harmony between the different features of the stamp is a complicated process, often a matter of trial and error. “Too many curved elements in the silhouette and you lose the roundness; it becomes a geographical map line. Too few and it resembles a childish drawing, too plain to seize attention.”

Like the two that preceded it, this stamp’s festive backdrop features a landscape of rolling hills and scattered snowflakes printed in clear holographic foil, which glitter in the light. Alain Leduc, Manager of Stamp Design and Production at Canada Post, notes, “It’s the mixture of holographic foil and simple, upfront imagery and design that makes these stamps so interesting visually.” Interesting, indeed; the new stamp is elegant, graceful and stunning in its simplicity, promising a perfect touch to all your holiday greetings and warm wishes.

Creators

Design: Hélène L'Heureux.

Similar Stamps

Reference

Canada Post Corporation. Details, Vol. 18, No. 4, 2009, p. 14-15.

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