Guernsey Post announces that its philatelic bureau will release the 12th – and final – set of stamps in its Chinese New Year series, celebrating the Year of the Snake 2025. The stamps have been created by designer Chrissy Lau, who has worked on Guernsey Post’s entire stamp series (issue date: 6 January 2025).

Also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is a culturally rich celebration that marks the beginning of the lunar calendar. The festival, which in 2025 falls on 29 January and ends on 16 February 2026, has strong ties with the Chinese zodiac, a 12-year cycle where each year is represented by a different animal belonging to the zodiac – the snake being the sixth animal.

The stamps

The stamps feature symbolically important colours associated with Chinese ceremonies, festivals, and rituals: red represents good fortune and joy, whilst gold symbolises wealth, prosperity and happiness. The Chinese symbol for snake appears in red on the top left corner of the stamps.

Plum Blossom Snake (GY Letter) features a heavily patterned blossom flower design on its body, which symbolises prosperity and good luck.

Lucky Eight Snake (GY Large Letter) displays a chrysanthemum pattern, which is said to symbolise long life. The snake’s eight-shaped body represents fortune.

Prosperous Peony Snake (UK Letter) is decorated with peonies symbolising wealth and prosperity, whilst the EUR Letter stamp depicts an Endless Knot Snake which represents longevity. The snake’s body is decorated with an auspicious cloud pattern for good luck.

The ROW Letter depicts a Mother Snake with her baby. Their bodies are decorated with a flame pattern as the mother seeks to protect the young snake.

Double Fortune Snakes (UK Large Letter) are decorated with several gold coins which are displayed during Chinese New Year festivities to attract wealth and fortune.

The Philatelic Bureau is also delighted to unveil a special collector’s item: a Prestige Booklet comprising all 12 stamp issues from its Chinese New Year Series. This exquisite set, meticulously curated over the last 12 years, brings together the complete cycle of zodiac animals—starting with the Year of the Horse (2014) and culminating in the Year of the Snake (2025).

The stamp products are available to pre-order now at www.guernseystamps.com or by calling Philatelic Customer Services on +44 (0) 1481 716486.