| Added by |
 Alain Martineau
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| General Description : | Official First Day (OFDC) Cancellation Location: Sweet Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. Gum Type: Pressure sensitive Photography: Tilt Inc. Confection: Maggie Plourde Food, especially wonderfully decorated savory delights or sweet treats—are a traditional part of celebration around the world. And whether you’re a fan of the festive season or a total bah-humbugger, it’s almost impossible to resist the temptation of fragrant and warm-from-the-oven Christmas cookies. That’s why the 2012 Christmas stamps are irresistible. Featuring festive shapes and on the domestic, iconic gingerbread people, the images on the stamps are so realistic, you can almost smell the ginger and nutmeg and taste the creamy sweet icing. Originating with the Egyptians and Greeks, gingerbread’s ties to the holidays can be traced back to pre-Christian celebrations of the winter solstice, when small spicy cakes, marked with symbols of the sun were part of the yule feast. Gingerbread arrived in Europe courtesy of the crusaders, who brought then rare ginger back from the Middle East. As the spice became more common and affordable, an early European recipe that called for ground almonds, stale breadcrumbs, rosewater, sugar and ginger became popular. In the 16th century, English bakers replaced the breadcrumbs with flour, and added eggs and sweeteners, resulting in a lighter, tastier treat. The first gingerbread man is credited to Queen Elizabeth I, who impressed dignitaries by presenting them with cookies in their own likeness. Today, in towns and cities across the country, the best local bakers compete to create award-winning gingerbread homes more aptly in many cases, cookie mansions that use gum drops, jelly beans and other candies, coloured icings, nuts and other edible goodies as decorations. |
| Face value | PERMANENT™ domestic rate $0.61 |
| Catalog code (Michel) | CA 2901 |
| Catalog code (Scott) | CA 2583 |
| Catalog code | Canada post Product #: 113810; Yvert et Tellier CA 2778 Stanley Gibbons CA 2901 |
| Series | Christmas |
| Stamp colour | multicolor |
| Stamp use | Commemorative stamp |
| Print run | 4,200,000 |
| Issue date | 15/10/2012 |
| Designer | Hélène L’Heureux |
| Paper type | Tullis Russell |
| Print technique | Lithography in 5 colours plus varnish |
| Printed by | Lowe-Martin |
| Perforation | Simulated perforation (SP) |
| Height | 24.00 mm |
| Width | 22.00 mm |
| Catalog prices | No catalog prices set yet |
