bonhomme

 Bonhomme Carnaval

2025 is the 70th anniversary of Bonhomme.  He is an incarnation of the joy of living by les québécois and is the official ambassador of the Quebec Winter Carnival which opens today.

an ancient land

 

Shetland, an archipelago off the north coast of Scotland,which was ruled by the Norse from the 8th to the 15th C. On the last Tuesday in January they hold the largest fire festival in Europe. Up Helly Aa in Lerwick can include over 1000 'guizers' (dressed in disguise, in this case Vikings) in a procession that culminates in the burning of a replica Viking Longship. There is much more to it than that, which you can read all about here

diwali

 

Diwali (Nov 12/23) This year's stamps were designed by Kristine Do and illustrated by Rena Chen. It features clay pots of oil (diyas) in the corners and marigolds and mango leaves

festivals

 

 Before you know it, it will be time for Octoberfest

In the meantime, the Dragon Boat festivals are happening in September

for Sunday stamps - fairs, festivals, people having fun
 

carnival

 

I'm not sure if Carnival is actually a holiday in some countries, but it most likely won't be celebrated in 2021. We could all do with some dancing in the streets and wild costumes.

for Sunday Stamps - holidays

first harvest

Lammastide, the halfway point between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox

The festival marks the wheat harvest and is the first harvest festival of the year.

fireworks

Festivals are a time for fireworks.  All of our festivals and fireworks have been cancelled and we wonder if the fireworks part will return. They have been falling out of favour these last few years, and they are prohibitively expensive.

With C19, they may end up a thing of the past and not as a way of celebrating things like the 25th anniversary of the Canadian flag                    (I don't actually remember this celebration?)

Fun fact: fireworks festivals in Japan started in 1733 after a really bad year due to cholera, crop failures and starvation. The festival was meant to memorialize the victims and to pray for an end to the epidemic. so not really a celebration. sadly, I have no Japanese fireworks stamps

So many students are graduating at this time of year with few celebrations except online (I'm seeing many lawn signs, which is nice)

Confetti has been a traditional way of celebrating the happy couple at their wedding - though that is now frowned upon - it does make an unholy mess. 

I suppose ribbons are still okay. I do love a beautifully beribboned present

for Sunday Stamps - celebrations

Sunday Stamps II - 41

France
1981 EUROPA stamp for folklore and feasts
designed and engraved by Jean Delpech

for folk costumes