Letters to Santa, Christmas Stamps and Latest Posting Dates
1 December 2005
December 1, 2005: Santa’s helpers in An Post would like to remind all Irish children that it’s time to post their letters to Santa! For more than 20 years, An Post has been helping Santa to respond to all the letters he receives from children all over Ireland. Last year more than 180,000 personalised replies, complete with North Pole postmark, were sent from Santa’s Irish post office, just in time for Christmas Day.
There is no charge for this service but Santa’s helpers in An Post like to get organised before the height of the Christmas rush! All children have to do is write their own letter to Santa and post it off addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole. It’s important that the child’s name and address details are clearly written.
A Christmas stamp booklet containing twenty-six, self-adhesive 48c stamps (including one free stamp) is now on sale at all Post Offices, priced €12. These stamps cover Christmas card postage to addresses within Ireland.
Three traditional Christmas stamps, in denominations of 48c; 60c (airmail postage to Britain) and 65c (airmail postage to the Rest of the World) are also available. It is important to put a blue Airmail sticker – available at all Post Offices - on all Airmail items. The colourful stamps show the Nativity and Choirs of Angels and were designed by Irish artist, Pamela Leonard who drew her inspiration from medieval Tempera paintings and incorporated traditional Christmas decorations and rich colours into the designs.
An Post reminds customers to seal their envelopes, to check addresses and to always include the sender’s address on letters and parcels. Posting deadlines to ensure airmail delivery in time for Christmas include:
- Airmail Parcels to Africa, Asia, Australia, US and UNIFIL troops: Monday, December 5
- Airmail cards to Africa: Saturday, December 3
- Airmail cards to Asia, Australia, US and UNIFIL troops: Wednesday, December 7
- Airmail parcels to Europe: December 12
- EMS Courier parcels to Europe: December 16
- Airmail cards to Europe: December 19
- Parcels within Ireland: December 19
- Cards within Ireland: December 20
- EMS courier/Swiftpost: December 22
Contact the Press Office for further information.
