Christmas has always been an especially magical experience for children – a time of mystery, enchantment and imagination. These qualities shine through in the 2006 Christmas stamps – the delightful results of a nationwide competition in which all New Zealand schoolchildren were invited to design a stamp to illustrate what Christmas meant to them.
Issue information
The competition was a huge success – attracting more than 17,000 entries from throughout the country and astonishing the judges with the talent it revealed. Choosing the 10 lucky winners was a challenge, but the results amply demonstrated that, for Kiwi children everywhere, Christmas holds a very special place in their hearts.
A Festive First Day Cover
Our two first day covers were a perfect Christmas gift for the stamp enthusiast. Bursting with colour and artistic style, they captured the energy, enthusiasm and creative potential of our youngest generation.
And Matching Christmas Cards Too!
With beautiful stamp designs like these, how could we resist transforming them into Christmas cards? We selected one stamp design from each of the competition’s six year groups to create a six-card pack that came complete with six matching stamps.
Product Listing for Christmas 2006 - Design a Stamp Competition
| Image | Title | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 45c 'Hanna McLachlan/Koru Family' gummed stamp. Hanna McLachlan – Year 5-6 Category Winner (also Supreme Winner) (age 10) Three Kings School, Mt Roskill, Auckland. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 45c 'Maria Petersen/Baby Jesus and Mary' gummed stamp. Maria Petersen – Year 11-13 Category Winner (age 15) St Dominic’s College, Wanganui. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 45c 'Hannah Webster/Wood Pigeon' gummed stamp. Hannah Webster – Year 9-10 Category Winner (age 14) Wellington Girls’ College, Wellington. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 45c 'Isla Hewitt/Wise Men and Camel' gummed stamp. Isla Hewitt – Year 1-2 Category Winner (age 6) Elmwood Normal School, Christchurch. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 45c 'Caitlin Davidson/The Family' gummed stamp. Caitlin Davidson – Year 3-4 Category Winner (age 8) Western Heights Primary School, Auckland. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 45c 'Deborah Yoon/Pōhutukawa Tree and Beach' gummed stamp. Deborah Yoon – Year 7-8 Category Winner (age 12) Wakitipu High School, Queenstown. |
$0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single 90c 'Pierce Higginson/Kiwi Fruit' gummed stamp. Pierce Higginson – Year 3-4 Category Winner (age 8) St Joseph’s School, Hamilton. |
$0.90 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.35 'Rosa Tucker/Kiwiana Christmas Tree' gummed stamp. Rosa Tucker – Year 1-2 Category Winner (age 5) St Mary’s School, Ellerslie, Auckland. |
$1.35 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $1.50 'Sylvie Webby/Pōhutukawa New Zealand Christmas Tree' gummed stamp. Sylvie Webby – Year 7-8 Category Winner (age 11) Raurimu Avenue School, Whangarei. |
$1.50 |
 |
Single Stamp |
Single $2.00 'Gemma Baldock/Christmas Camping' gummed stamp. Gemma Baldock – Year 7-8 Category Winner (age 10) Tahuna Normal Intermediate School, Dunedin. |
$2.00 |
 |
Single Stamp | Single 45c 'Hanna McLachlan/Koru Family' self-adhesive stamp. | $0.45 |
 |
Single Stamp | Single $1.50 'Sylvie Webby/Pōhutukawa New Zealand Christmas Tree' self-adhesive stamp. | $1.50 |
 |
Set of First Day Covers | Set of two first day covers (10 gummed stamps and two self-adhesive stamps affixed). Cancelled on the first day of issue. | $11.40 |
 |
Self-adhesive Dispenser | Dispenser box containing 100 x 45c stamps. | $45.00 |
 |
Self-adhesive Booklet | Booklet containing 10 x 45c self-adhesive stamps. | $4.50 |
 |
Self-adhesive Booklet |
Booklet containing 10 x $1.50 self-adhesive stamps. (Buy 9 Get 1 Free!) |
$13.50 |
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 4 October 2006 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Ten gummed stamps, two self-adhesive stamps |
| Denominations and designs: | 45c (gummed and self-adhesive) Koru design, 5 x 45c gummed, 90c Kiwifruit, $1.35 Christmas tree, $1.50 (gummed and self-adhesive) Pōhutukawa tree, $2.00 Camping scene |
| First day cover designed by: | Communication Arts, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print, New Zealand by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: | Gummed: 35mm x 35mm; Self-adhesive: 30mm x 25mm (vertical) |
| Paper type: | Gummed: Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper; Self-adhesive: Avery Dennison self-adhesive stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 50; Booklets: 10 x 45c stamps and 10 x $1.50 stamps; Dispensers: 100 x 45c stamps |
| Perforation gauge: | 14.25 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least 10 sheet stamps for the 45c (se-tenant) stamps and at least six sheet stamps for the 90c, $1.35, $1.50, $2.00 stamps. Barcode blocks were available in A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 3 October 2007. |