With its choice of motifs for the three new Christmas stamps – "Santa Claus hat", "Christmas tree" and "Gift" – Swiss Post is creating a festive atmosphere for the dispatch of letters and parcels during the Christmas season. These stamps will be available as of 20 November 2009, along with the new Pro Juventute stamps and two special stamps to mark the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics respectively.

To make sure that appropriately festive stamps are available for franking the several million Christmas letters and parcels that will be sent this year, Swiss Post will be issuing the now traditional stamps in time for the approaching Advent season. The motifs of the three stamps are "Santa Claus hat" (CHF0.85), "Christmas tree" (CHF1) and "Gift" (CHF1.30). A silver star sparkles on each stamp. The stamps also include season's greetings in Switzerland's four national languages. The stamps have been designed by the Bernese artist Jenny Leibundgut and are part of a multi-year series that will be continued in 2010.

New Pro Juventute motifs

The current issue will be rounded off with the traditional Pro Juventute stamps. This year's new issues represent four important services offered by the Swiss foundation that was set up for the benefit of children and young people in Switzerland. The services include the sale of stamps by schoolchildren. As before, the stamps cost an extra CHF0.40 and O.50 respectively. The entire proceeds, of course, will be used for the benefit of Pro Juventute.

A first for the Paralympics

In addition, two special stamps will be issued this year to mark two major sporting events taking place in early 2010: the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver. This is the first special stamp that Swiss Post has dedicated to the Paralympics, the multi-sport event held for athletes who are physically or visually impaired. It features the sport of alpine skiing. Last but not least, a miniature sheet showing, among other motifs, Gruyère Castle and the region's heraldic animal will be issued to mark "Stamp Day 2009" in Bulle.

Stamp motifs in issue 4/2009:

• "Christmas" – CHF 0.85, CHF 1 and CHF 1.30 special stamps
• "Pro Juventute 2009" – CHF0.85 (+ 0.40 surcharge) and CHF1 (+ 0.50 surcharge).
• "Olympic Games Vancouver 2010" – special CHF1 stamp
• "Paralympic Games Vancouver 2010" – special CHF1.30 stamp
• "Stamp Day 2009 Bulle" – CHF 0.85 miniature sheet

Stamps featured in the 04/2009 issue will be valid as of 20 November 2009 and will be available at www.swisspost.ch/philashop, as well as at Swiss philatelic salespoints and post offices.