Christmas stamp design inspired by folk patterns and patterned mittens

19 designs were entered in the Christmas postage stamp competition of Eesti Post, 17 of which complied with the conditions of the competition. The winning design was inspired by folk patterns and patterned mittens.

The jury made its decision on 8 July and the design, Lumikiri (Snow Pattern), by Krista Lees was declared the winner among the 17 entries. The winning design will be used on the most popular stamp of the year and the winner will receive a prize of 1,000 euros. Second place and 500 euros went to Julia Valtanen for her design, Põhjapõder (Reindeer), and third place and 100 euros to Küllike Pihlap for her design, Bird Is the Word.

According to the winner, felt as the base material of the stamp inspired her to use the various folk patters we usually see in traditional textile items (gloves, belts, etc.). Thus, the design of the stamp brings together different patterns that resemble a snowflake and create a lovely winter atmosphere. The Muhu pink text bar at the bottom of the stamp resembles the pattern of knit mittens.

We expected the designers to provide designs for the Christmas postage stamp and accompanying first day envelope and first day seal. According to Kärti Kõiva, Service Manager of Private Client Solutions at Eesti Post and member of the assessment committee, the winning design is a comprehensive concept, which combines the unusual material and visual side of the stamp whilst also representing the folk traditions and culture of Estonia.

The works entered in the competition were assessed by a committee that included Postage Stamps Product Manager Ain Muldmaa, stamp artist Indrek Ilves, Service Manager Kärt Kõiva, Communications Manager Kaja Sepp and Marketing Manager Maria Britikovski.

For three years, Eesti Post has issued a scented postage stamp before Christmas and these years have proved that although the mail volumes are generally in decline, sending Christmas cards is still popular. When Estonia’s fist gingerbread-scented postage stamp was issued in 2016, the interest of the clients and the media was unexpectedly big and the stamps were quickly sold out. Even people who had not sent cards for years wanted to do it using this special stamp.

The popularity of unique stamps was confirmed again a year later when we launched a cinnamon-scented stamp, which also received a warm welcome. The 2018 tangerine-scented stamp with an image of the Tallinn Town Hall Christmas market was also a hit and the first print of the silver stamp commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, which was sold out on the day it was launched.
 
The design of the Christmas stamp will be revealed immediately before the launch of the stamp.