happy christmas day

 

I don't think I have ever seen an image of Joseph holding the baby Jesus. They look like such a happy family here, and the baby looks like a real baby (not an almost toddler in a manger with his arms flailing).  No one knows how Jesus referred to Joseph, but here he looks on as a proud papa.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE

more than santa

In 1992, Canada issued a series of Christmas stamps featuring "personages" from various regions, specifically Estonia, Italy and Germany.  The denominations are for Canada, US, and International.  My, how rates have changed!  

Estonia's  "Jouluvana" is dressed in a brown sheepskin coat and matching hat, hand-knitted mittens and a walking staff.  Imported from German legend, he carries a bag of presents for good children and uses his stick for the naughtly.

Based on an illustration by Anita Kunz

"La Befana" of Italy, is a benevolent witch-like woman who rides a broomstick on the eve of Epiphany, January 5, carrying presents for the deserving and charcoal for the erring.  After leaving small gifts and consuming snacks left for her, she sweeps the floors with her broom.  Italy also enjoys a second gift-giver, Babbo Natale, a Santa figure similar to ours who brings larger or more expensive gifts on Christmas Eve.

Based on an illustration by Jamie Bennett

Germany's "Weihnachtsmann" is a thin, stooped, heavily laden, white-bearded old man who makes his rounds on Christmas Eve with his sack of presents and a Christmas tree.  He is a secularized version of St Nicholas who is still associated with December 6.

Based on an illustration by Simon Ng 

All stamp descriptions from Postage Stamp Guide

Merry Christmas Eve

ornaments

are those little oranges on Paddington's tree? 

from Russia

birdie

 

received from Germany

I am quite taken with this little robin.  In the lead up to tomorrow's theme of Christmas ornaments, I have put him in my tree amongst a series of other enamel scarf and tuque bedecked birds.

toys and tiere

Children's toys were the theme for 1979 Christmas stamps.  It was the Year of the Child that year, and antique toys were photographed by Arnaud Maggs.

Here we have a wooden train and, instead of the rocking horses of last week, a rolling horse

 

 

 

Germany has had a few of these adorable tierkinder - young animals.  A pole cat and a wild boar

 

and haus tiere - or pets

rockefeller

The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Centre has been predominantly a Norway spruce, with a couple of Balsam firs or White spruces, since the first tree went up in 1933.  Because of the narrow streets, the tree is limited to a height of 100'.   It usually goes up in mid November, with the lighting ceremony this year on December 3rd.

The tree  on the facade of the art deco Radio City Music Hall usually arrives in mid-October.  There are 57,000 individual LED lights in "red and warm white programmed to create soft  movement such as waves and fades"

santas

 a parade of santas

on skiis (1996)

in a sleigh, and in a car, and on a train (2004)

2004 was the 100th Toronto Santa Claus Parade

children

 naughty?

or nice?

5,000 km

 This has a distinct look of Dick Bruna's work

Japan has a "letter writing day" on the 23rd of each month to encourage people to write and send letters to friends and loved ones to counteract the trend of digital communication.  And to help the cause, there are numerous stamps dedicated to this.  I wish we could adopt this  (in light of our current postal situation in Canada, and the cries of "who gets mail anymore, anyway").

About 5,000 km away from Japan is Nepal and this black  francolin of the pheasant family.  It is considered 'of least concern'

 

Another country that is about 5,000 km from Japan is  Nauru.  Once occupied by Japan (during WWII), it is the 3rd smallest country in the world.  It's highest elevation is about 213' above sea level and there are no rivers, but judging by this stamp it might have magnificent sunrises (and presumably sunsets)

three N countries

Christmas in July

 

frosty and rudolph made an appearance on tv last week, when the temperature reached 34C (93F)

I've been dreaming of a bit of cold snow, and I'll bet the mail carrier might also not mind after these last few days (and coming days) of an unrelenting heatwave.

 

Next week: any stamp(s) with any connection to the letter 'A'

christmas in sweden

In Sweden (as well as other countries) the pig is a symbol of good luck.  It had its heyday in the 19th century and a pigs head was common fare for Christmas dinner. This card is illustrated by Jenny Nystrom (1854-1946) who became Sweden's most prolific painter and illustrator.

A few months after Jenny Nystrom died, Sven Nordqvist was born.  He also went on to illustrate children's books; his most well known being Pettson and Findus.

gingerbread

 

I managed to buy these Christmas stamps before the post office went on strike, but have not had a chance to use them. They went on strike Nov 15 ... update: they are back! and mail is moving.

Anyway, these gingerbread houses are different from the ones the USPS issued in 2013.  Ours feature a birdhouse (Canada), a doghouse (US), and a barn (International)

light up the sky

A last view of the Christmas season. I love all the lights at this time of year and wish they stayed glowing to cheer us up during the dark of January and February.

and this is the last lights of 2023 for Sunday Stamps

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE

adoration

 

By the time these Magi arrived, the Baby Jesus could hold up his head! As well as the expensive gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, a onesie might have been useful.

 back to Finland for some snow, or lumi

santas on a train

 

snowy scenes

 

It is perhaps a little ironic that these snow laden landscapes are this year's Christmas stamps. All week, the news has been about how most of us are going to have a green Christmas.

 a nostalgic Christmas

Merry Christmas to one and all

Merry Christmas from Finland

decorated trees

It's always more fun to have help with trimming the tree

and waking up to presents under the tree is so exciting. that grinning nutcracker, not so much

trees and ornaments for Thursday Postcard Hunt on this second week of December

father christmas

before Coca Cola decided to transform Santa into a portly, jolly old soul wearing a red suit that matched its branding, Father Christmas used to look like these cards

mother and child

 

The Lilienfeld Abbey was 800 years old in 2002

Manger scene (1979)

Genesis by Daphne Odjig (2002)

Merry Christmas to you all