Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has continued a holiday tradition this year when she attended the Presentation of the Christmas Seal this year.
On Monday, 1 November, the Crown Princess unveiled the 2021 Christmas Stamp with this year’s chosen illustrator, Peter Bay Alexandersen, at Copenhagen City Hall. The pair were joined by several teens who have stayed at the home. There were also performances from the Christmas Stamp Foundation’s children’s choir.
The 2021 design features a ship in a harbour with many people carrying holiday packages and spending time with loved ones. The illustration shows what we have missed during the global health crisis, spending time with loved ones. It is officially titled “Home for Christmas.”
Crown Princess Mary is the Patron of the Christmas Stamp Foundation. The foundation runs five different “Christmas Seal Homes” throughout Denmark. These homes provide support for approximately a thousand children coping with mental health issues and bullying each year.
In 1903, Einar Holbøll, a post office clerk, had the idea to create a special Christmas stamp to raise funds for philanthropy. The first stamp released in 1904 raised money to help support children living with tuberculosis, but different causes have been supported over the last 118 years, with the Christmas Seal Homes now receiving the proceeds.
While the tradition of a special Christmas stamp originated in Denmark, many countries around the world release their own annually.
There have been a wide variety of designs featured over the years. Queen Margrethe of Denmark has designed the stamp herself three different times: in 1970, 2003, and 2015. For her 2015 design, she joined Mary for the unveiling.
The special Christmas stamp will be sold in several different stores in Denmark, as well as online through PostNord and Julemaerket.dk. Stamps from the last five years are available for purchase online.
