To many, the 1970 set of Christmas stamps, showing pictures drawn by children, is the most fascinating of all of Canada’s Christmas stamp issues.
As this stamp design contest for the 1970 Christmas stamp issue evolved, it became known as “Christmas Canada“ and the winners became known as “Christmas Canada Kids”. They were given, and wore, “Christmas Canada Kids” hats. That is how everybody in the capitol region who met the kids in Ottawa during the week of August 23–30, 1970 greeted them as such. They were celebrities for that week.
Below are links to two recently published resources to highlight the 50th anniversary of these Christmas stamps. Please enjoy! [I am editor of both journals.]
Corgi Times
The Elizabethan II Study Group (of BNAPS) produces a bi-monthly journal (the Corgi Times) featuring Canada's Elizabethan-era postage stamps. A typical issue runs around 16 or so pages.
The Nov-Dec 2020 journal was a special issue (108 pages) devoted entirely to the 1970 Christmas stamp issue. A must read for everyone!
If you collect Canadian Elizabethan-era stamps then you should consider joining the ESG!
The Canadian Philatelist
A Flyspecker's Paradise was the title of an 9-page article that appeared in the Nov-Dec 2020 issue of The Canadian Philatelist (bi-monthly journal of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada).
The article illustrates nearly 100 constant varieties found on the 5c and 6c stamps, with enlarged positional placement images.
It is hoped that this article will be updated as new discoveries come forward (and time permits!)
Why not support Canadian philately and join The RPSC!
Philabec
Not much more was published on these stamps until the January 2016 issue of Philabec, journal of the Association des numismates et des philatélistes de Boucherville inc.
Author André Dumont illustrated and described some 167 constant varieties on just the 5¢ Santa Claus design alone. Subsequent articles, in 12 separate issues, covered each of the twelve stamp designs. All of these articles are available for free download at philabec.com.
Reporting a new find
As you study the hi-res scans (below) you will find lots of dots and dashes on individual stamps.
BEFORE you report any of these as "constant", please, please, please READ the ESG document (above) and all of the Philabec articles.
We are looking for new CONSTANT varieties or confirmation of the plate position of yet-unpositioned (is that a word?) varieties.
A CONSTANT variety is one where multiple examples are known. Simply finding a 'dot' or 'dash' on a single stamp in the hi-res scans (below) does NOT make it constant!
Hi-res Full Pane Scans
The "flyspecker" article published in TCP (see above) involved obtaining hi-res scans of full panes of the different values of these Christmas stamps. Thanks so much to the individuals who took the time to pass along 600dpi scans. A few more have been received since the publication of the article.
The "flyspecker", that is, a collector who studies stamps for constant and non-constant plate varieties, requires access to multiple panes of a stamp issue to confirm ones finds.
Download and study the panes for varieties! (The average file size is 36Mb)
Adminware 'stamps' page* contact Robin before sending any scans
* 600dpi
* black background
* include all selvedge
* scan two halves; I can 'join' them back together
* you may need to use WeTransfer (or similar) to send large files
* JA
* KA/MZ
* SC
* AD
* MH
* DM
* MP
* MU
* MW
* MZ
© 2021 Robin Harris
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