For this year’s Christmas, Post Luxembourg issues a series of two special stamps showing the works of Céline Mazzilli. The designs are printed on transparent foil and are self-adhesive, a world novelty.

Another special series, the “2018 Charity stamps” will portray a special aspect of the Luxembourg Moselle region: the vine grapes. Post Luxembourg selected here the four best known grape varieties growing along the Luxembourg Moselle: Riesling, Pinot gris, Rivaner and Auxerrois.

Furthermore, Post Luxembourg releases a new ATM-Stamp. Its central element, the X symbol, stands for Luxembourg and the stamp will promote this symbol trough out the world,

Last but not least, Post Luxembourg releases a stamps booklet dedicated to the extraordinary plum varieties in Luxembourg.

Special series

“Christmas 2018” – The end-of-year festivities

Christmas is the time of the year where we are close to our loving ones, the celebration of small surprises, which make the holidays and the time beforehand into something special for every one of us.

And that is exactly the way the two illustrations have been designed that will be adorning the two commemorative “Christmas 2018” stamps this year. You might call the two characters “Mrs Ice Crystal” and “Mr Winter Joy”; if you look at them a little closer, you will see lots of little wintry and festive elements.

Wintry details from nature, Christmas delicacies or decorations; every time you look you discover a new detail carefully selected and designed by the illustrator, Céline Mazzilli.

Furthermore, this year POST Philately has chosen again a special finish for the two stamps. In a world first, the designs are printed on transparent foil and are self-adhesive. When you stick them onto the envelope, the material of the envelope shows through in the background.

Special series

“2018 Charity stamps” The Luxembourg Moselle region

The stamps in the charity series from 2014 to 2017 portrayed vintage cars registered in Luxembourg and provided an opportunity to discover this exciting, technical subject over 16 different designs. From this year, the subject will be something a bit calmer. Over the next four years, we will be presenting the beauty of the Luxembourg Moselle region. Because this region on the Luxembourg borders to Germany and France has plenty to offer both culturally and historically. Every year, the four designs will illustrate a particular feature. To make the presentation even more varied, the production technique used will vary from year to year.

We will be dedicating the first year to a subject that everyone is bound to associate directly with the Moselle, wine. The grapevines grow along the 42 km Luxembourg wine road, sometimes on amazingly sloping sites. The wine growers work to strict quality standards and this allows them to produce first-class products that are also gaining more and more recognition internationally.

In collaboration with the Viticulture Institute in Remich, we have selected the four grape varieties most typically grown along the Luxembourg Moselle: Riesling, Pinot gris, Rivaner and Auxerrois.

• “King of Luxembourg wines” is the name given to Riesling with its sophisticated and elegant bouquet. Along with the country’s highest wine-growing plateau “Köppchen”, the village of Wormeldange is the “bastion of Riesling cultivation” in Luxembourg. Luxembourg Riesling, one of the best quality wines in the world of its kind, occupies 12.5% of the wine- growing area in Luxembourg.

• Pinot gris is a wine with a high alcohol content, but has a mild and aromatic bouquet. Thanks to its full-bodied and intense flavour it is the perfect accompaniment to red meats.

• Rivaner is the grape variety most frequently found in Luxembourg. It produces a fruity, dry and mild wine that is best drunk young. Cultivation of Rivaner makes up 28.5% of the vines grown in Luxembourg.

• Auxerrois is a mild and fruity wine, much appreciated by wine connoisseurs. Auxerrois, Pinot blanc and Pinot gris make up 39.5% of the grapevines grown in Luxembourg.

As mentioned previously, various techniques will be used over the four years. We are starting the series this year with watercolours.

ATM – Stamp

With the introduction of the “Signature of Luxembourg” in October 2016, by issuing two commemorative stamps POST Philately has already made an important contribution to the rapid recognition of the new image at home and abroad due to the wide range of applications. The new design of the ATM stamp picks up the central element, the X symbol, and continues this role as a representative of the country. The ATM stamp is available from all relevant stamp machines in the country. Each ATM stamp supplied is individually printed and is only available at a face value of €0.70.

Stamps booklet

“Plum varieties in Luxembourg”

The diversity of plum varieties in Luxembourg is extraordinary. The flavours and different uses of the varieties are also very varied.

Whereas some varieties are suitable for all kinds of uses, like the prolific ‘Zolverpromm’ plum, others are reserved for specific products, such as the ‘Duerderer’ and ‘Wenkelcher’ varieties grown to make brandy, or the ‘Prënzepromm’ plum that is ideal for preserving.

Protecting diversity

The environmental foundation “natur&ëmwelt” has now identified more than 100 different old plum varieties in Luxembourg. The objective is to bring these varieties back into cultivation in gardens and nurseries. They are being planted by natur&ëmwelt in various specialist gardens and brought back into the landscape as part of planting projects.