Royal Mail puts secular stamp on Christmas

The Royal Mail has broken with tradition to feature both religious and secular images in its 2008 Christmas stamp collection.

It is the first time customers have been able to choose between religious and secular stamps since the Royal Mail issued its first Christmas collection more than 40 years ago. The Madonna of Humility by Lippo di Dalmasio will appear on the first-class stamp while the second-class stamp will feature William Dyce's Madonna and Child. Another collection of six stamps, in a range of values, will celebrate the UK's love of pantomime with festive images of performers in costume from Cinderella, Peter Pan, Aladdin and Snow White.