The Christmas Seals (3 Millièmes)


These seals were designed by Sergeant W. F. Lait, R.A.S.C., in Egypt, and were reproduced by letterpress process by Messrs. Walkers Amalgamated Press, Cairo. The design, which was identical for the printings which were made each year, embodied a pyramid and a camel in a rectangular frame 25 X 20 mm. These seals left the press in panes of 20 with a margin all round, and were not made up into booklets. They were perforated 11½

  The Christmas, 1932, issue was printed in black on greenish azure paper.
  The Christmas, 1933, issue was printed in claret on white paper.
  The Christmas, 1934, issue was printed in dark blue on white paper.
  The Christmas, 1935, issue was printed in orange-red on white paper.

Owing to a shortage occurring in 1935 due to the increased garrison at that time in Egypt, two printings were made in that year, and in addition 20,000 of the crimson

Letter stamps were overprinted "Xmas, 1935-3 millièmes" in two lines. This overprint was also made by Messrs. Walkers Amalgamated Press, Cairo.

Lt.-Col. F. M. A. Morris, O.B.E., who was at the time the responsible officer i/c postal services for the British Forces in Egypt, gave the figures regarding the numbers of the Xmas Seals which were printed, sold and destroyed.
Xmas Seal, 1932. Printed and issued, 52,000. Sold, 41,857. Destroyed, 10,143
Xmas Seal, 1933. Printed and issued, 55,342. Sold, 53,785. Destroyed, 1,557
Xmas Seal, 1934. Printed and issued, 62,865. Sold, 62,865. Destroyed, nil.
Xmas Seal, 1935. Printed and issued, 131,900. Sold, 122,833. Destroyed, 9,065.