Key Takeaways:
- Canada Post has been issuing Christmas stamps since 1964, but has since expanded to include stamps for other religious holidays such as Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, and Diwali.
- The 2025 Hanukkah stamp is the eighth one to be issued by Canada Post and features a century-old brass hanukkiyah on display at the Aron Museum in Montreal.
- Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom and commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian-Greek Emperor Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
- The festival is celebrated with the lighting of candles, singing of joyful songs, and consumption of festive foods cooked in oil.
- Canada Post’s multicultural stamp program aims to recognize and respect the diversity of cultures, religions, and heritages in Canada.
Introduction to Canada Post’s Multicultural Stamp Program
When Canada Post issued its first ever Christmas stamp in 1964, the majority of the country’s population identified as Christian. However, by 2017, the number of Canadians identifying as Christian had significantly decreased, with just over half of the population belonging to the Christian faith. In response to this shift, Canada Post launched its multicultural holiday stamp program in 2017, issuing stamps to commemorate the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the Hindu holiday of Diwali, and the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. This program has continued on a regular basis ever since, recognizing the religious holidays and celebrations of other faiths and cultures in Canada.
The Significance of Hanukkah Stamps
Canada Post’s Hanukkah stamp is one example of the company’s efforts to recognize and respect the diversity of cultures and religions in Canada. The 2025 Hanukkah stamp is the eighth one to be issued by the Crown corporation and features a more than century-old brass hanukkiyah on display at the Aron Museum in Montreal. A hanukkiyah is an eight-branched candelabrum or menorah that is lit every night of the eight-day holiday. The image on the stamp is adorned with a Magen David and a crown, symbolizing the Torah and the return of Jewish kingship after Jewish fighters reclaimed Jerusalem from foreign rule. The stamp also features two lions, representing strength and courage, and specifically referring to King Solomon and the ancient Tribe of Judah.
The History and Celebration of Hanukkah
Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, is a celebration of religious freedom. It commemorates the second century BCE victory of a group of Jewish rebels known as the Maccabees over the Syrian-Greek Emperor Antiochus IV Epiphanes’s forced Hellenism and outlawing of Jewish religious practice. According to the Book of Maccabees, when the rebels successfully reasserted their religious freedom and regained control of Jerusalem, they immediately sought to rededicate their defiled Jewish temple, the Beit HaMikdash. The festival is celebrated with the lighting of candles, singing of joyful songs, and consumption of festive foods cooked in oil. The candle lighting is the central ritual of the holiday, serving as a reminder of the strength and courage of the Maccabees, the resilience of the Jewish religion, and the historical ties of the Jewish people to Jerusalem.
The Importance of Recognizing Diversity
Canada Post’s multicultural stamp program serves as a reminder that Canada is a country made up of diverse people, cultures, religions, and heritages. The program aims to recognize, respect, and promote understanding of this diversity. According to David Hartwig, an associate editor with Linn’s Stamp News, "Recognizing a country’s religious and cultural diversity through stamps is one way postal agencies acknowledge the range of faiths, customs, and celebrations observed by citizens in the country." The program also highlights the role of various communities in Canada’s history and contributes to how the nation presents itself and how it’s remembered. By issuing stamps that reflect the diversity of Canadian society, Canada Post is promoting a sense of inclusion and shared identity among Canadians.
The Impact of Multicultural Stamps
The impact of Canada Post’s multicultural stamp program extends beyond the recognition of religious holidays and celebrations. It also serves as a visual record of what mattered publicly at a particular moment in time. As Hartwig explains, "Stamps don’t define a national identity, but they do reflect it. Because each stamp issue captures subjects a country chooses to highlight at a particular moment, stamps form a visual record of what mattered publicly at the time." Over time, this visual record can contribute to how a nation presents itself and how it’s remembered. By issuing stamps that reflect the diversity of Canadian society, Canada Post is promoting a sense of inclusion and shared identity among Canadians, and recognizing the important role that diverse communities play in shaping the country’s history and culture.
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