For sending seasonal greetings in 2023, Magyar Posta is issuing a self- adhesive definitive stamp marked Domestic as the indication of value in standard and special editions. The standard edition is in sheets of fifty stamps, while the special edition is a miniature sheet of five stamps. The stamp depicts an imaginary small town filled with Christmas cheer, combined with elements representing the festive season. The stamp was designed by the graphic artist Péter Vasvári and produced by Codex Értékpapírnyomda Zrt. The new releases will be available at first day post offices and Filaposta in Hungary from 17 October 2023, and may also be ordered from Magyar Posta’s online store.
The origin of the Hungarian word for Christmas, karácsony, comes from the Slavic korcun and korciti, meaning passing or turning, a reference to the winter solstice. The winter solstice occurs on 21 December, and from that date onwards the days become longer and the nights shorter until 21 June, the summer solstice. The triumph of light has been celebrated since before the appearance of Christianity. Christmas in its modern sense, the birth of Jesus, has been commemorated for centuries. In addition to its religious aspect, over time Christmas has also become a celebration of love, togetherness and, to the great delight of children, giving presents. Source: neprajz.hu
The sheet of 50 stamps is enlivened by visual elements on the frame and the barcode, and festive greetings in Hungarian, English, German and French on the selvedge. A grid, which was previously removed during printing, aids separating the stamps from the sheet. The special feature of the miniature sheet of five stamps is that the printing technique has given the image a metallic effect that means its visual appearance changes depending on the angle of the light falling on it.
