Selling of stamps

It is forty years ago since the Royal Mail produced its first ever set of stamps to mark Christmas. There have been many designs over the years with angles, father Christmas, kings and three wise men on, but it has been the stamps which have been designed by children which are the most memorable of these stamps. Television has played a big part in the design of stamps. Blue Peter in particular picked up on the idea of getting children to send in their very own unique designs, which would be used on a Christmas stamp.

Blue Peter for those who don’t know is a long running children’s television programme which has had a long list of famous names presenting it, including; Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves, Sarah Green (who later went on to present going live with Philip Schofield), Peter Duncan, Anthea Turner (who went on to present GMTV and married Grant Bovi – property giant). It has children over the years to get involved in making various objects out of old washing up liquid bottles, to get involved in the garden, looking after pets, and informs kids as to what is going on with other children in different areas of England.

In 1966 Blue Peter launched an appeal for children to send in paintings and drawings with Christmas designs on, as part of a competition. The winner of the competition would get their image issued on the Christmas stamps for that year. Two six year old children were the winners and were therefore responsible for designing the first Christmas stamps issued by the Post Office.

Again in 1981 another appeal was launched by Blue Peter, this competition generated a staggering 74,000 responses from children wanting their design to be on a stamp for Christmas, the five winners had their stamps published as a Christmas set. 

Television played a major part in selling stamps (Briefmarken Verkauf) during the festive season of this year, and these stamps are still available for sale at stamp auctions (Briefmarkenauktion) to this day. 

Any appeal for children to join in a competition usually generates lots of response as every parent encourages their child to enter, what better than to have a child that not only is the winner of a blue peter competition and badge, but also gets to say that their child’s picture is on the front of most of the letter which are posted during the Christmas season. Although emails have taken over somewhat in the latter few years, there will always be a need for people to send out cards, as they are much more personal than emails. Thus the sales of stamps will always rise during seasons such as Christmas and Easter. Not forgetting the amount of card advertisements that come on for Valentines day, while ever there is a need to send a card for a birthday or Christmas then there will be a need to sell stamps, and there will always be a need for television to promote the selling of stamps.