December stamp story by designer Marieke Ruts!

After reading my December stamp article on Postzegelblog, I received a personal and fitting story about each new December scene from designer Marieke Ruts as a welcome response. She remarked that I might find it useful. Indeed, perhaps the readers as well. Hence, here is her imaginative story. On the third stamp, the designer has featured a faceless self-portrait behind a pile of gifts. The press release contains a completely different explanation regarding this.

December stamps 2024

Personal and fitting stories by Marike Ruts

Regarding the faceless self-portrait, the PostNL press release contains a completely different explanation from Marieke: “Because I don’t consider myself very good at drawing faces, it is hidden behind a stack of presents.”

What preceded the December stamps. Marieke Ruts tells the story:

In mid-January 2024, I received an email from PostNL asking if I would also like to design the 2024 December stamps. I didn't have to think about this for long. I accepted the assignment immediately. As a cartoonist, I had previously created matching personalized stamps for my greeting cards. I knew what I was getting myself into.

• In February, I started working on the assignment, which read as follows: design three stamps, of which at least one is fully developed, including typography and the mandatory elements in a stamp. Also create a color palette. The stamps, along with your portfolio, will be sent to the management for approval.
• This was a tense moment for me, because my colors deviate quite a bit from the traditional Christmas colors of green, yellow, red, and blue. I use a lot of light colors like blue, mint green, and lilac. And naturally, that was immediately met with a critical comment in response. And so, just like that, back to the drawing board and breaking away from my own colors.
• After exchanging some emails and incorporating positive criticism of my illustrations into the designs, I stood at the printing press on a warm summer day in early July at the Joh. Enschedé printing plant in Haarlem. It was so cool and overwhelming to see the December sheets all together on a large sheet like that. I was truly impressed by the printing machines that had printed the stamps with such razor-sharp precision.
• After designing the December stamps, PostNL also asked me to design a corporate Christmas card and a sticker card for Libelle. Naturally, in keeping with and based on the illustrations of the December stamps.

Vondel's Christmas ornament

This Christmas ornament specially designed by Vondels (standard since 2020) is available in the store when purchasing two stamp sheets. This ornament is based on the presents in the sleigh on the fifth stamp.