[press release]
PostNL December stamps 2019: colourful parade of people and animals

The Hague, 4 November 2019 – This year’s PostNL December stamps were illustrated by Lieke van der Vorst. The internationally sought-after illustrator from Eindhoven was inspired by her personal memories of the month of December.

All about family
The stamp sheet of twenty December stamps contains a drawing of a colourful parade of ten characters, both human and animal, in a winter landscape. The stamps exude a warm atmosphere due to the contrasting colours with a sky of snowflakes and stars in the background. “At my parents’ home, the Christmas holidays are all about family,” says Lieke van der Vorst. “They’re about being together, about sharing. On Christmas Day, we stay at home. On Boxing Day, we visit family and friends and everyone brings a dish with them.”

Merging effect
The drawings on the stamps merge into each another. This has created a kind of story on the stamp sheet. “It has turned into a parade going from left to right,” says Van der Vorst. “A parade on a snowy road that ends with the polar bear at the mailbox who is sending cards to those who can’t be at the party. That completes the story.”

Special December rates
PostNL issues new December stamps each year. With the stamps, consumers and businesses can send Christmas and New Year cards weighing up to 50g at a cheaper rate. The special December price of €0.82 per stamp applies from 4 November 2019 until 3 January 2020. This year, a sheet of 20 December stamps costs €16.40. Upon purchase of two sheets of December stamps, the buyer receives a special bag made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

Love for the world around her
Illustrator Lieke van der Vorst (1989) grew up in Kaatsheuvel, just north of Tilburg. Her upbringing was dominated by nature, and her love for the animal world and her immediate surroundings is reflected in her work. Her work is in great international demand, and there is a huge amount of interest in Australia and South Korea. Van der Vorst previously worked on the 2017 December stamps as one of the ten young talented individuals linked to ten famous Dutch people.

Precise style of working
All of the illustrations for the December stamps were drawn by Van der Vorst separately by hand on A4 paper, including the background and typography. Later she combined them on the computer with the space at the top of the sheet. In her work, she almost exclusively uses watercolour pencils and ballpoint pen to create harder lines. “Over the years, I have tried out all of the techniques,” says Van der Vorst. “But pencil and ballpoint suit me best. The advantage is that it allows you to be very precise in your work. You can control the intensity of each line by applying varying amounts of pressure.”

Availability
The December stamps are available from 4 November from 7,200 sales points in the Netherlands (including Jumbo, Albert Heijn, Bruna, Primera, Kruidvat and The Read Shop), through our website and from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number +31 (0)88 – 868 99 00. December stamps can also be used outside of the Christmas period, as long as they are accompanied by an extra stamp for the price that is valid at the time of sending.