Unto Us a Child is Born

 

1993: Christmas - Carvings from Alter Triptych (Design - Antonia Graschberger)

 

The Birth of Christ with lots of teeny tiny angels, I think you can never have enough angels and the wood carvers thought so too.  The stamp is more restrained.

2010: Christmas (Design - Bruce Goold)

The shepherds (and sheep) not only got the 'Angel of the Lord' but they heard a multitude of the heavenly host.

The Wise Men had no angelic guide and followed a star and eventually ended up at the right place.

So much excitement in one day time for rest but not for long

1988: Christmas - Flight into Egypt - 15th Century Book of Hours

 

when an angel warns Joseph in a dream to take his family and flee to Egypt. The other figure is Salome the midwife or nurse who accompanied them, according to the apocrypha.  She is often depicted in art with a satchel and a pole.

Happy Christmas

Sunday Stamps theme this week - Religious Christmas - See It On A Postcard

Christmas Activity

 

2014: Christmas (Illustrations - Andrew Bannecker)

Cards posted time to relax 

2012: Christmas (Illustration - Axel Scheffer)

A little robin has come along to help

with Santa's Christmas Tree. Illustrations by Axel Scheffer, the illustrator of the much loved Julia Donaldson books such as  the Gruffalo and Room on the Broom.

2016: Christmas - Barn Gnomes

In the cold Swedish winter the tomtar or tomten are busy. They live solitary lives on farms staying out of sight of the farmer but taking care of the animals and buildings

and protecting  the household from accidents and disasters but will play tricks on you if you annoy them

 

 

The only sight of them might be their footsteps in the snow.  They only demand respect and

a bowl of porridge with butter on Christmas Eve to be left in the barn. If the bowl is empty in the morning then all will be well for another year. 

The illustrations are by Eva Wilsson based on the the originals by Harald Wiberg (1908-1986) who illustrated Astrid Lindgren's books such as The Tomten and The Tomten and the Fox.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Secular Christmas - See It On A Postcard

Toys

 

2000: Toys (Design - Lasse Aberg; Engraver - Martin Morck)

L to R:  Tea Party; 'Springtime is Here',  time to get outdoors; Life in the Countryside

L to R: Life in the City; At the Railway Station; Today's Favourites, which would definitely include

2015: Europa - Old Toys (design - Jakob Monefeldt)

Lego or perhaps and old favourite

1990: Greetings - Smiles

the teddy bear, unless it happens to have gone

1981: Christmas

sledging.  We have had the first snow of the winter in the UK this week but not enough for a sleigh ride.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Toys or Entertainment - play along at See It On A Postcard

Bridges

 

1991: Bridges

This wooden bridge is classed as a site of national significance, the Neubrugg or New Bridge built in 1534/5 crosses the River Aare in the canton of Bern.

and in contrast the Ganter concrete bridge, Simplon Pass, built from Summer 1976 to December 1980, it is the longest spanning bridge in Switzerland.

1949: Landscapes

The Railway Viaduct over the River Sitter near St Gallen, built 1908-1910

And as I love viaducts (and this issue) here is another viaduct Landwasser, a big tourist attraction for the railway enthusiast.

1962: Laval Castle (Designed and Engraved - Charles Mazelin)

Lets downsize. The castle of Laval with a bridge over the Mayenne River in the Loire region. Nice 'on the nose stamp cancel' for Valence which is on the left bank of the Rhone in SE France.

1957: Tourism Publicity (Designer and Engraver - Jean Pheulpin)

Le Quesnoy (Nord department), I think this bridge may possibly cross a moat for Quesnoy is a fortified walled city, the tower is the Town Hall.

1956: Views of Beijing

I started with an old bridge so finish with another, the Yong An Bridge in Beihai Park, one of the oldest, largest and best preserved ancient imperial gardens in China with a 1000 year history.  The park covers 175 acres, half of which is taken up by the lake. Probably why it is also called the Northern Sea Park.  In the middle of the lake lies the Jade Flower Islet on which stands the White Dogoba (a stupa) which can be seen in the background of the stamp.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Bridges - walk over to See It On A Postcard