A group of Creative Media students from University College Isle of Man (UCM) have designed the Isle of Man’s official 2025 Christmas stamps.

Marking a unique collaboration between UCM and Isle of Man Post Office, the stamps were commissioned to also commemorate the 145th anniversary of the Douglas School of Art and 50 years of the Homefield Road Campus.

The six-stamp ‘Crank Up Christmas’ collection reflects Manx festive heritage and evolving traditions, and was created under the guidance of UCM lecturers with ten students developing the designs.

The stamps drew inspiration from both historical customs and contemporary celebrations like Christmas light switch-on’s and the annual ‘Santa’s on a Bike’ fundraiser.

Each design integrates elements from different UCM faculties, representing the full spectrum of student talent and academic disciplines. The project formed part of the students’ coursework, offering real-world experience in a professional design context.

Maxine Cannon, general manager of Isle of Man Stamps and Coins, commented: ‘It was my pleasure to meet with the students, lecturers and alumni at UCM in May to follow their journey on this project and to hear first-hand their hopes and aspirations for our Christmas collection.

‘These stamps will be the most widely used of all designs issued in 2025, and it is for that reason we wanted creatives of the future to have the opportunity to share their thoughts and hopes with a global audience.’

Jesamine Kelly, UCM principal, added: ‘It’s been fantastic to see how the students have been thoroughly engaged in the project, giving them real-world experience, working with clients and developing fantastic teamwork and communication skills.’

The stamps are set to be issued on October 22, and the collection includes a set, first-day cover, presentation pack and self-adhesive postal booklets.

The stamps are available online at https://iomstamps.com/CrankUpChristmas and at all Post Offices across the island.