Royal Mail unveils Nativity Christmas stamps as festive collection marks 60 years
Tuesday 3 November 2026
Royal Mail has unveiled its Christmas stamps for 2026, featuring colourful illustrations of the Nativity story, as the postal service celebrates 60 years since the introduction of its first Christmas-themed stamps.
The new collection brings familiar scenes from the birth of Jesus to Christmas cards and letters, with five contemporary designs created by designer Gareth Howat and illustrator Rebecca Sutherland.
The stamps are available to order from today (Tuesday 3 November), alongside a range of collectible products, while Royal Mail has also confirmed the last recommended posting dates for Christmas deliveries.
A colourful retelling of the Nativity
The collection features Mary and Joseph travelling, the infant Jesus, an angel, shepherds and the Three Wise Men.
Each illustration combines rich, jewel-like colours with intricate patterns, decorative details and layered textures, giving the traditional Christmas story a distinctive contemporary appearance.
Stars, halos and patterned backgrounds feature throughout the designs, which were developed through a collaboration between Howat and Sutherland.
David Gold, from 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.”
A childhood passion becomes a career highlight
For illustrator Rebecca Sutherland, the commission represents a particularly personal achievement, bringing together her professional work and a lifelong interest in collecting stamps.
She 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.”
Six decades of Christmas stamps
This year's collection arrives on a significant anniversary for Royal Mail, marking 60 years since the first Christmas Special Stamps were issued on 1 December 1966.
Those original designs came from a children's art competition announced in May 1966 by the then Postmaster General, Tony Benn.
The first-ever Christmas Special Stamp issued by Royal Mail on 1 December 1966
The first stamps, issued on 1 December 1966, were the result of a children’s art competition announced by the Postmaster General, Tony Benn, in May of that year.
Children's artwork has subsequently featured on Royal Mail's Christmas stamps on three further occasions, in 1981, 2013 and 2017.
The annual Christmas collection forms part of Royal Mail's wider Special Stamp programme, which commemorates important anniversaries and celebrates events connected to UK heritage and life.
Christmas 2026 last posting dates
Royal Mail is encouraging households across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to send their Christmas cards and parcels early, particularly as demand for postal services increases during December.
The recommended last posting dates for Christmas 2026 are:
• Friday 18 December – 2nd Class mail
• Saturday 19 December – Royal Mail Tracked 48
• Monday 21 December – 1st Class mail
• Monday 21 December – Royal Mail Tracked 24
• Wednesday 23 December – Special Delivery Guaranteed
Customers are also being encouraged to order online Christmas gifts well in advance to allow sufficient time for delivery.
Where to buy the Christmas stamps
The Christmas 2026 stamps and accompanying collectible products can be ordered from Tuesday 3 November through Royal Mail's website or by telephone.
• Website: www.royalmail.com/christmas2026
• Telephone: 03457 641 641
• Presentation Pack: £12.06
Royal Mail's announcement describes five new stamp designs, although its product information refers to a Presentation Pack containing six stamps.
For families preparing to send Christmas greetings, the new designs offer a colourful reminder of the Nativity story, while the confirmed posting dates provide an early opportunity to plan ahead and help ensure cards and gifts arrive in time for Christmas.
