The First Christmas Stamp: A History of Festive Postage

Today, many countries sell Christmas stamps during the Christmas season and they are used to add a bit of color and cheer to Christmas cards and letters. But how did this tradition start?

In December 1898, Canada issued a 2-cent stamp celebrating the introduction of imperial postage and inscribed the words “XMAS 1898”. This stamp is generally considered the world’s first Christmas stamp, but it wasn’t actually released to celebrate the holidays. Instead, according to legend, Postmaster William Mulock suggests to Queen Victoria that the stamp be issued in November “to honor the Prince” (that is, the Prince of Wales). But when the queen showed obvious displeasure at the idea and asked which prince she was referring to, Mulock quickly replied, “Why, the Prince of Peace, ma’am.” So when the stamp was issued in December, it not only featured the image of a world map, but also the words “XMAS 1898” at the bottom of the stamp.

It wasn’t until almost 40 years later that another country issued a Christmas stamp. This time the country was Austria. In 1937, he issued two stamps advertised as “Christmas Greeting Stamps”, but neither had a Christmas theme. One showed a zodiac sign and the other represented a rose. Brazil was next in line, issuing four semipostal stamps in 1939, and Hungary followed suit with a semipostal stamp in 1941. Semipostal stamps are those that are sold above the value of the stamp to raise money for a specific cause.

So it wasn’t until 1943 that Hungary issued the first Christmas-themed stamp that was sold specifically as a holiday stamp. Now, many nations around the world issue Christmas-themed postage stamps that are intended for use in seasonal mail.

The first Christmas stamp issued by the United States was a 4-cent stamp issued in 1962. The green and red stamp featured a wreath, two candles, and the words “Christmas 1962.” The postal service anticipated high demand for the new stamp and ordered 350 million printings, the largest number ever produced up to that time for a special stamp. But it was not enough. When the initial supply quickly ran out, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began working day and night to print more. By the end of the season, one billion of the first Christmas stamps were printed and distributed.