January Holidays

1963: New Year (Design - Eva Zombory)

Its a Happy New Year from Hungary with all the good luck symbols, horseshoe, four leaf clover, mistletoe and holly berries.  The first holiday of the year, sometimes spent recovering from a hangover or for the hardy a New Year swim in the sea.

1979: Design - Fritz Wegner)

I think only one Sunday Stamper may have this as an official holiday for it is Epiphany on the 6th January and the arrival of the Three Kings.  The artist, Fritz Wegner, was known for the rich detail in his illustrations and he hasn't held back with this one

1984: Australia Day (Design - Jon Quinn)

Lastly we reach the 26th January and Australia Day.  This is Cook's Cottage which was built in 1755 in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, England and shipped to Australia in 1934 by Sir Russell Grimwalde.  It was the home of the navigator Captain Cook's parents.  Inside it is furnished with items from the 18th Century.  The village of Great Ayton has an obelisk where the cottage once stood.

 

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Other Holidays - taken at  See It On A Postcard

Christmas Holiday

Looks like Inge Löök's old ladies are going to spend their Christmas holidays by the beach under the bright light of a lighthouse in a cozy igloo.  They will want for nothing as they have brought everything with them, even an accordion for a singalong.  This scene made me wonder whether there were beaches in Lapland from which the old ladies could run into the water.  The answer is yes and they are recommended for their refreshing water and lack of crowds, one beach by the Ivalojoki river is very popular and one might also be joined by reindeer swimming across to join in the fun.  Here are the 'Best 8 Beaches in Lapland'.

Wishing Everyone a Merry Christmas

 

Christmas Story

 

2009: Christmas (Design - Mike Heine)

All is peaceful under a star which

wise men followed from afar.

1997: Christmas (Design - Jan Lenica)

To see a boy child by prophesy described

2011: Joy to the World (Design - Andrew Perro)

with an angel by his side

2000: Christmas (Design - P Lynch)

A journey taken all in haste

1989: Christmas (Ruben's Madonna of the Basket)

the holy family blessed with grace.

1969 - Design - Fritz Weger

Don't forget the shepherds three, sending greetings from GB.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Sunday Stamps II theme - Religious Christmas - See It On A Postcard

Winter Solstice

Under a starry Arctic sky the northern lights

2008: Merry Christmas (Design - Linda Riber Sørensen; Typography - Dorit Olsen)

swirl over a cluster of houses. The artist Linda Riber says she "pictured a small village where the heat from the small windows of wooden houses stream out into the freezing snow and a public Christmas tree is outside. Everybody is inside, the food will be served any minute.

Two reindeer wander close by the village. I imagine that these are some of Santa Claus's reindeer".

2020:Europa -Ancient Postal Routes (Design - Klaus Welp)

Santa Claus has hitched up his reindeer and is circling the globe with his parcels.

2019: Winter Wonder (Design - Virpi Pekkala)

The northern lights swirl over the pole and a snowman and arctic hares.

Two  elves, a dog and cat sing outside

Meanwhile an elf family stride across the snow in their bathrobes going to the sauna across a twilit snowy landscape, the father with a lantern and mother with a towel while an elf boy holds a birch whisk.The Christmas sauna is a Finnish tradition.

1997: Christmas Crackers (Design - John Gorham)

Time to pull a Christmas cracker.

2019: Snowflake (Design Paula Salviander)

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Secular Christmas - light up the dark days at  See It On A Postcard.

Red Is The Colour

 

2010: Visual Illusions (Artist - Youri Messen-Jaschin)

Gravity waves or a wormhole?  Adjust your vision now.  This is one of the Op Art works of Youri Messen-Jaschin  which give the illusion of movement. Mesmerizing.  The full stamp set can be seen here

1986: Childrens Fund - Toys (Design - Ernest Witzig)

Unfortunately I cannot pump this spinning top handle to make it spin into a blur of colour.

1977: Events -  Vevey Vintage Festival emblem

although too much wine can make the world spin. The Vevey Wine Festival in Switzerland only happens every 20 years and is so unique it was awarded  UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status in 2016.  We have all just missed it as this three week bacchanalia happened last year. 😞. 
 

1986: 50th Anniversary of Swiss Winter Relief (Design - Adolf Flückiger)

It is snowing in Switzerland.  Our weather forecasters have been excitedly trailing for a week that the first snow in the UK is going to arrive soon and it has,  although not in my little corner of England but I can see it on the hills. Unless I strap on my hiking boots

2015: Christmas (Design - Bea Würgler)

I won't be  building snowmen yet but this globe would give me 'snow' all year round..

2015: Greetings Stamps (Design - Julia Reichle and Martina Pelosi)

The ladybirds will be oblivious to the weather as they will be hibernating in their chosen hidey-holes, they gather together by species.  I discovered that the collective noun is a 'loveliness of ladybirds'.  Keep on snoozing in your loveliness.  The ladybird is said to bring good luck.

1968: Northern Bullfinch

 

 Meanwhile the bullfinch will be busy feeding on winter seeds.

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is the - Red -  for more splashes of colour go to See It On A Postcard