For some time now, the Greek post office has offered a programme of printing personalized legal postal stamps as a marketing campaign. However, thus far it has been met with mediocre success, primarily because the local post offices have not been too active in promoting the campaign.

Not so in Malia! 

Lemonia Sfakianaki, postmistress of the Malia branch of ELTA, decided to go all-out in marketing the program, as evidenced by the set of huge advertising posters flanking the main entrance and the glass-enclosed display case in the lobby.   

"I decided to promote it because I have been, and still am, a philatelist, and because I consider a personalized stamp to be a very original idea to give as a gift," she said. "I have also sent invitations to a lot of schools to come here this year where the students can learn the history of stamps."

Each personalized stamp costs one euro and, according to the capacity of the sheet it will cost from 10 to 15 euros.

"Just bring us a photograph, either digital or regular," Mrs. Sfakianaki said. "It can even be an old black and white photograph. Or bring it in on a CD or send with e-mail. Then choose the accompanying frame – we have several, such as the Parthenon, and in 10 days you have your stamps. And, it's a great souvenir for tourists. Even if the visitors do not have enough time, they can prepay and we will send them the stamps."