Royal Mail Christmas stamps 2023: when are they available in the UK, release date - last postage dates

New Christmas stamp images for 2023 have been made public by Royal Mail, along with recommended dates for posting cards next month.

Five festive stamps with themes drawn from Christmas carols are available for purchase, with each featuring a lyric from a carol.

David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of external affairs and policy, said: “For many, the launch of the annual Christmas stamps is the signal to begin writing those Christmas cards.

"The charming style of these designs, which were inspired by the carols that are so familiar to us all, set the perfect tone for the festive season.”

Here is everything you need to know about them.

What do the 2023 Christmas stamps look like?

Each of the new Christmas stamps features a lyric from a carol, including O Holy Night, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Silent Night; Away In A Manger, and We Three Kings. The set of stamps is also the first Christmas issue to feature the silhouette of the King.

Illustrator Tom Duxbury, who specialises in woodblock printing to depict both vintage and modern scenes, created the stamp designs exclusively for Royal Mail.

Duxbury, who has previously designed many book covers including Serpentine by Philip Pullman and The Collectors, said it's been a "privilege" to illustrate the first set of Christmas stamps to bear the silhouette of King Charles III.

"The theme of nativity became a chance to create rich, luminous nightscapes," he added. "They echo my own experiences of being out in nature at night – especially the moors where I live.

"This time and place holds a special kind of feeling; that of stillness, softness, and magic.”

The barcodes on this year’s Christmas stamps will also allow customers to watch a seasonal themed video created for Royal Mail by the award-winning Aardman studio. The video features Shaun the Sheep and his friends sending some festive cheer to the farmer’s dog.

When can I buy the 2023 Christmas stamps?

The five festive stamps are available to purchase right now. They can be ordered online from shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/christmas-2023.

When is the last post date for Christmas 2023?

Royal Mail is encouraging customers to order online gifts and shopping well in advance, and to post their festive greetings early, to help its staff deliver the bumper festive mailbag.

Its latest recommended posting dates for mail to arrive in time for Christmas are 18 December for second class, 19 December for first class and 22 December for special delivery guaranteed.