Canada’s sacred, secular Christmas stamps now available

By Molly Goad

Canada Post introduced four stamps on Nov. 2 to usher in the festive Christmas season, continuing a tradition that began in 1964.

As in previous years, the 2023 stamps include both sacred and secular imagery.

A single religious-themed permanent-rate stamp portrays the Madonna and Child in the style of stained glass windows commonly seen in churches.

The stamp, which also is in the shape of a stained glass window with a pointed arch, features a fusion of creamy hues, pastel green and soft pink. The line-drawn design by Adrian Horvath captures a tender moment of baby Jesus snuggling up against Mary.

The letter “P” inside the maple leaf indicates that it is a permanent-rate stamp paying the basic domestic letter rate (currently 92¢). The Madonna and Child was issued in a booklet of 12.

The first-day cover for this stamp bears a Saint Marys, Ontario, cancel featuring a line-drawn illustration of a dove, a symbol of peace.

Canada Post’s secular holiday offering is titled Holiday Winter Scenes. These three stamps showcase winter landscapes from different regions across the country.

A snowy mountain ski village with a bright blue sky sets the scene for the domestic-rate stamp.

The $1.30 stamp for letters mailed to the United States has an ice skating rink, a charming village, an outdoor fire, and a mix of snow-covered and bare trees. Skaters glide on the ice under the soft glow of a teal-tinted sky.

Last in the series is a coastal winter scene, with a lighthouse and sled riders descending a seaside hill, all beneath a blue-green sky. This is the design for the $2.71 rate for letters to other international destinations.

All three Holiday Winter Scenes stamps are se-tenant (side-by-side) on a souvenir sheet. The sheet’s background shows ...

To continue reading, subscribe to Linn’s Stamp News.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter