To be surprised that the Royal Mail Christmas stamps are all religious?

[stampsurprise]

I thought for a change I'd get proper Christmas stamps this year. Didn't expect them to be all religious and no choice!

Is this usually what's on offer? I don't object personally, but I think most of those I send to won't care for a religious stamp.

Is this usually what's on offer? I don't object personally, but I think most of those I send to won't care for a religious stamp

MN has reached a new level of ridiculous! Who actually cares what stamp is on an envelope - unless you are a stamp collector! Also, Christmas IS a religious commemoration - whether or not people chose to treat it as such.

@speakout

But so many " identifying" as christians are not really- many are sit on the fence wishy washy haven't given it much thought christians.

I remember as a child thinking about this idea. During a national census my parents ticked boxes - "caucasian", "Bristish born" etc, and ticked the "christian" box.
We never had a bible in the home - my parents never attended church, they didn't pray or teach me bible stories- yet somehow considerd themselves christian by default somehow.
I suspect many of that happily diminishing 14% of people who identify as christian are in that sit on the fence/can't be arsed to think brigade.

I was coming on to say exactly the same as I've witnessed it too.

Somebody mentioned Sweden, we listen to this at Xmas 😀

I am so happy for this thread and others!!!

So sick of the Trump and Prince Harry ones!!

I think I might go and find some nice Christmassy carols on YouTube. In The Bleak Midwinter, for starters....

It's a Christian festival - why the surprise?

You can buy ordinary non Christmas stamps.

It's a Christian festival - why the surprise?

It may be a christian festival for some, but they don't own the celebration.

@Stripesnomore

‘Also, if you are not a monarchist, do you not use the usual stamps then?!’

I draw tiny devil’s horns on the queen’s head before posting.

And a lizard tongue flicking out too? 😉😁

I like a Christian religious stamp, I’m sure most people don’t mind what kind of stamp they get as long as their mail arrives. For those who say that Christianity borrowed from paganism, paganism was a religion too and those who worshipped Odin or Cernunnos had religious beliefs as well. So basically midwinter and the Christmas time of year have always been religious.

But they ARE a minority group. That is a fact. practicing, church going christians are a very small minority, whether you like it or not.

Err - you do realise that you don't need to attend church to be a Christian.

@speakout

It's a Christian festival - why the surprise?

It may be a christian festival for some, but they don't own the celebration.

It’s a Christian festival. It’s been hijacked by commercialism.

It’s a Christian festival. It’s been hijacked by commercialism.

It is a pagan festival- hijacked by christians.

If you are not a monarchist, do you not use the usual stamps

There's not any choice is there?

I think it was Tony Benn who suggested removing the Queen's head to make more space for the image on pictorial stamps - at least that's the excuse he used - but of course it was squashed

so the pagans had a festival called Christmas?

I doubt it - Pagans can still celebrate their festivals though - which is nice - as can Christians - with CHRISTmass (the clue is in the name)

I doubt it - Pagans can still celebrate their festivals though - which is nice - as can Christians - with CHRISTmass (the clue is in the name)

So Easter is christian?
Clue is in the name- Oestre.

The whole of Christianity is a religion that draws from many others. Part of it being drawn from paganism rather than Judaism or Platonism doesn’t make it unchristian.

I’m sure someone has said it - but it’s one year religious, one year non (Which is why we had Wallace and grommet one year didn’t we?). I like the religious ones - reminds me of when I was little.

Stripesnomore

Which parts of christianity are drawn from paganism?

CHRIST. (You know, Jesus Christ). CHRISTMAS.

HTH

if you are not a monarchist, do you not use the usual stamps then

Yes, sure in the knowledge the face gets stamped on when it goes through the mailing system 😂

@S00LA

Is this usually what's on offer? I don't object personally, but I think most of those I send to won't care for a religious stamp

Yeah totally. If I receive a greetings card and the stamp doesn’t exactly reflect my personal moral, religious, political and ideological beliefs then I bin it straight away.

You are being sarcastic? I think..

@user8888

I am so happy for this thread and others!!!

So sick of the Trump and Prince Harry ones!!

Me too! That kind of thing doesn't interest me one jot

It’s not such a big thing in e.g. southern Europe, where they typically don’t have such cold, dark and dismal winters to get through

Really? My impression was Southern Europe is pretty catholic and that Christmas lasts from the feast of the immaculate conception to the epiphany on 6th Jan with various feast days and traditions in between. I thought Italy in particular had nativity and christmas markets everywhere. I have never celebrated Christmas there though, so maybe I am wrong.

Speaking, the Gospel of John, Revelations, work of Saint Augustine.

@speakout

It’s a Christian festival. It’s been hijacked by commercialism.

It is a pagan festival- hijacked by christians.

And rehijacked by commercialism. It’s been Christian in this country since the 11th century.