Playtime

1984: Children of China

One of China's pre-cancelled stamp booklets of which I have a handfull from the 1980s.  This particular set of stamps they called a semi-postal issue but are generally known as charity stamps. As can be seen each stamp has a description 'In the Sunshine' and 'Healthy Growth'.  A choice between a ball and a panda, oh dear which one to choose.

The reverse of the booklet explains

"Children are the reserve force for Socialist Modernization of our country".  The statement lacks a bit of the joys of childhood but happily not the stamp images.  I like the growth motif of the cancel which is

repeated on the booklet cover.  Continuing the theme of 'socialist modernisation' then five year plans were all rage as we moved into the second half of the 20th Century 

and this shows children playing in a kindergarten as part of Bulgaria's 'Five Year Plan' of 1959.  I'll turn to something a little more seasonal now.

and two of the stamps of Romania's 'Village Children's Games' issue of 1960.  One can also learn a bit of Romanian on the way, sanius being sledding

and of course patinaj, ice skating. I say seasonal but we have had weeks of rain here and at the moment my county of Cumbria has red flood warning out, happily today is a respite and the sun has come out.  The warmth that comes with the rain means there will

2014: Christmas

be no ice skating here this month.  I wonder if there is still time to head south to the sun?

The cover shows Combwich Station in Somerset, which has only ever existed in the imagination of the model maker Chris Nevard, who also took the photograph.  The stamp is one from Jersey's contribution to this year's Europa theme of 'Traditional Toys' where they featured illustrations based on the artwork used to produce the ever popular Hornby train set boxes.

 

An entry to Sunday Stamps II theme - Playtime: toys or games - skip over here to play