IV. Christmas on Israeli postal issue

CHRISTMAS – YULETIDE

Earlier posts have profiled Israeli ‘Christmas’ seasons’ greetings stamps issued over the years – variable value and ATM stamps.

Christmas or ‘Season’s Greetings’ stamp, 2010

The first ATM labels were dispensed from a Swiss Frama Machine on 17 November 1988 in values of 40, 60 and 70 Agorot. Then, from May 1990, German Klussendorf machines were introduced and these were in use until January 1999. In 1991 Massad labels were introduced.

Christmas or ‘Season’s Greetings’ stamp, 2013

New dispensing machines were introduced in 2004 [Sima or Doarmat] to replace Klussendorf machines.

ATM stamps are issued for public use from automatic self-service vending machines, or from counter machines from the post office employees.

Issued on 25 November 2020, the Christmas stamp was illustrated with the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth in a design by Ronen Goldberg

Western Christmas iconography continues to be utilized on Israeli ATM stamps. Including the greeting, ‘Season’s Greetings from the Holy Land’, they have been illustrated with angels, gift parcels, Christmas stars, baubles and other decorations, and falling snow.

Christmas or ‘Season’s Greetings’ stamp, issued 25 November 2021

In creating this post the following sources were used: (1) ‘Israel’, in the website of The Stamp Forum, 22 December 2013; (2) the website of the Israel Philatelic Federation

If you have enjoyed reading this month’s post, you might like to have a look at the earlier ones as well: (1) III. Christmas stamps, 2022; (2) II. Christmas stamps, 2021; (3) I. Christmas stamps, 2020