Christmas for U

 

1965: Christmas

The divine messenger, the angel Gabriel, announces the coming of Christmas

1974: Centenary of the Universal Postal Union

Peak postal time. The stamp quote is the opening line of one of John Donne's poems "more than kisses, letters mingle souls". As Dean of St Paul's Cathedral Donne would have been busy at this time of year writing his sermons. He was the rock star of church sermons, great crowds gathered to hear them. On Christmas Eve 1624 he would weave the seasons into his homily

There would be no sign of a Christmas tree back then (unless one was in Germany) but lots of evergreens such as holly were used for decoration. Here is a ginormous tree

1995: Christmas (1st Issue) Victorian Postcard Design

and a tiny one

2002: Christmas (2nd Issue)

Santa's tree comes with presents.

1980: Christmas - Antique Toys 

He has left a bigger drum at this house. I wonder if there is a snowy scene outside this window? Not here in the UK.  There is only a 5% chance of  snow which will be a good news for those travelling at Christmas and the forecast of high pressure will bring good weather for a winter walk.

1967: Expo 67 - World Fair, Montreal 

Meanwhile here is somewhere that is more than likely to have a white Christmas. Issued in Canadian currency from the UN World Fair Pavilion in Montreal. 

 

 

Stamps with something the world could do with in these turbulent times. 

Peace be with you at Christmastide

Sunday Stamps A-Z for USA, UN and the UPU - See It On A Postcard

 

From the Sea

 

1991: For A Better Environment

The Mediterranean coastline and its wildlife

2006: Norwegian Marine Life IV

Meanwhile in the Atlantic - a sea urchin with a name that seems to use a good portion of the alphabet Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, Green Sea Urchin (found in northern waters around the world).

1980: Animals

Ocean perch

1981: Painting

'Hauling the Line' by Gunnlaugur Scheving who painted life in Iceland, many of whose works featured the sea, as can be seen here

A seal hauling out from the sea at low tide. Our local haul out has a seal cam so one can take an interest in the seal and pup numbers when it is the winter breeding season from the comfort of a couch.

Sunday Stamps theme - From the Sea - See It On A Postcard

 

Children of Men

 

1995: 50th Anniversary of the United Nations

"We, the people of the United Nations ... together for a better world"

2024: The Who - Album Covers

The Who - My Generation, their breakthrough single (1965); Tommy the rock opera double album (1969); Who Are You (1978), the drummer Keith Moon died weeks after this was issued aged 32, and the sentiment of My Generation came true,  "I hope to die before I get old". Lastly, Face Dances (1981). their 9th studio album now featuring Kenny Jones on drums. Decades later and led by the band's surviving members Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey  The Who are on their final North American run 'The Song is Over Tour' this year.

Sunday Stamps theme - Men Who Might Be Fathers at work and play - See It On A Postcard. 

Medley of Minibeasts

 

2009: Endangered Species (Illustrator - Roger Kent)

Creepy crawlers and winged wonders with a Emperor Dragonfly and Southern Wood Ant. Below them - Alpine longhorn beetle (found in beech forests) and an Apollo Butterfly

2003: Insects

A mayfly (Ephemera danica), and an aquatic beetle, Dytiscus latissimus, who before they dive collect air bubbles in their wing cases. The wing cases of beetles are called elytra and protect the delicate wings that are used for flight. Although Diving Beetles differ in many ways to their terrestrial cousins they have kept the ability to fly and use light reflection on water surfaces to detect new habitats. 

1992: Beetles

A violet oil beetle. Because they are reliant on solitary bees as part of their life cycle and depend on a healthy and diverse wild bee population with wildflower meadows they are classified as under threat.  They exude a yellowish oily substance from their leg joints when in danger hence their name.

2024: Spiders (Illustrator - Richard Lewington)

Do spiders count as creepy crawlers or do they move far too fast?

Sunday Stamps theme - Creepy Crawlers - scuttle over for more at See It On A Postcard    

Olympics

 

1965: City Arms

We alas say goodbye to Paris.  The sailing ship on the city's coat of arms originates from the symbol of the 12th Century Marchands de l'eau guild who were given the rights to navigate the Seine. The Paris Olympic sailing however took place in the Mediterranean by the shores of Marseilles  

1976: Olympic Games, Montreal, Canada

At the Montreal Olympics they were on Lake Ontario.

1996: 100th Anniversary of the Modern Olympic Games

In 1996 the Olympic venue was in Atlanta and, looking forward, today's  athletes will be putting Los Angeles in their diaries for 2028. The UN must have had a presentiment for surely that is LA's coliseum on the mini sheet

1984: Olympic Games, Los Angeles - USA Gold Medalists

A venue where Carl Lewis won four of his gold medals. An evergreen athlete that would eventually win 9 gold medals and 1 silver in both track and field from three Olympic Games

1932: Summer Olympics, Los Angles

The 2028 games will be using the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum for the third time but it will be given an ambitious upgrade. The plan seen here.

1961: Tourist Publicity - Olympia

The Olympic flame will be extinguished in Paris and the Olympic flag passed on to the next hosts.  Once again Olympia waits for the flame to be reignited.

Sunday Stamps theme is - the Olympics - See It On A Postcard

Endangered

 

1995: Endangered Species

Sadly the United Nations are not going to run out of threatened species to feature on their regular issues of endangered fauna. Here we have Black Rhino, Golden Parakeet, Red-shanked douc and Arabian Oryx which in the 1970s became extinct in the wild. They were saved because there were large numbers  in zoos and private reserves and from these they were reintroduced into the wild in the 1980s.

1984: Endangered Antelopes

A young bongo, vulnerable to predators like pythons, leopards and hyenas.  As adults their predator is human.

1993: The Caspian Seal (Design - V Khartvig)

The threat to the Caspian Seal is environmental. A unique species that it is thought became 'landlocked' in the Caspian Sea when the ice of the last ice age retreated about 11 thousand years ago.

2007: Rare Animals (Design - A Moskovets)

The Oriental Stork has the advantage of wings although habitat loss and, in the rice growing regions, the use of pesticides, means it is on the IUCN Red List

1986: Europa - Nature Conservation (Design Ken Lilly)

Well that was all a bit gloomy so here is a Barn Owl whose numbers have increased and is now moved on to the more optimistic Green List.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Endangered or Vulnerable Species - See It On A Postcard

Save the Forest

 

1984: Centenary International Order of Good Templars

Trees were once abundant in Iceland before the Vikings arrived and felled them to build houses and other structures.   After a few hundred years most of the trees had been cut down which gives us its landscape today. Despite this some native trees can be found in certain areas and there also have been reforestation efforts in recent times.  There are certainly trees on this stamp.  I think the subject of the stamp - the Order of Good Templars is a temperance organisation and features one of their lodges.

1985: Protection of Nature - Save the Forest

I don't know about 1985 but German forests today are threatened by a changing climate of drought and heat not to mention the highly publicised forest that is going to be cut down to expand a coal mine.

1988: Survival of the Forest

In 1988 the United Nations issued stamps to raise awareness of the dangers of forest destruction

and the Vienna Headquarters chose this autumnal view.

1983: British Gardens (Design - Liz Butler)

Relax and go forest bathing at Blenheim Palace home to one of the oldest woodlands in Europe with oaks dating back to the 12th Century.  The United Nations theme for the International Day of Forests  in March is 'Forest Restoration; a path to recovery and well-being'.

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

Sky High

 

1957: World Meteorological Organization

A weather balloon flying above the clouds

1973: Centenary of World Meteorological Organization (Design - T Ekstrom)

Finland celebrated the origins of the WMO, which was the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress.

1958: Chinese Meteorology

 

China is a member of the WMO but can boast of 3000 years of records found in various historical records however their modern meteorological methods started in the 17th Century with continuous recording not happening until the mid 19th Century.

1993: Norden: Tourist Attractions

Today balloons, satellites and giant computers modelling the weather let us know what to expect when we venture to the great outdoors although Saturday here gave us three seasons in one day

2009: Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park

so maybe I'll just look up to the sky and hope for the best.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - The Sky - look up See It On A Postcard

Endangered

 The UN has a continuing series of stamps up to the present day of 'Endangered Species'.  Things are not getting better and if fact worse so sadly I don't think they will run out of subjects.

2001: Endangered Species (9th Series)

Here are the Speckled Bear, the Laysan duck from the Hawaiian Islands which has been brought back from near extinction with interventions , the Aardwolf, an insectivorous mammal and the Silver Langur or Silver Leaf Monkey. All the FDC envelopes are the same but whereas the Vienna office always uses a double postmark the New York office does not, I don't know why

1994: Endangered Species (2nd Series)

but this particularly large cancel  probably wouldn't fit on the envelope.  Swinging through the trees are Chimpanzees, perched in its island habitat is the St Lucia Amazon parrot, sliding into the water an American Crocodile and alert at the watering place Addra Gazelles

1995: Endangered Species (3rd Series)

The Giant Armadillo from South America, the American Bald Eagle, Fijian Banded Iguana and of course the Giant Panda recently upgraded from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable'..

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Endangered Species - See It On A Postcard 

Flags of Nations

1993: Lake Constance European Region (Design - Wittmer)

This stamp is also called 'Collaboration about Bodensee' indicated by the three country flags of the surrounding nations, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with the paddle steamer Hohentweil (originally owned by the German Railways from 1913-1962) steaming along the lake. I have a Swiss map card here which shows the lake geography and mountains.

2011: Blue and White (Design - Ingela Peterson Arrhenius)

The flag of Sweden is celebrated every year with a public holiday on the 6th June and in 2011 they also got the opportunity to put it on their post. The three crowns seen on the colour coordinated person are the national emblems of Sweden and I like the reverse image of the daisies by the flag pole stamp.   The last stamp I guess shows Stockholm's sightseeing tourist 'hop on hop off' red bus.

1986: Flags of Member States; 7th Issue (Design - Ole Hamann)

My final flag is from the United Nations familiar 'Flags' series. The Antigua and Barbuda flag was adopted in 1967 to mark self-government.

'Fresh British Milk' Bottles

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Flags - fly over to See It On A Postcard
 

Tall Buildings Old and New

1947: Air Mail

My first thought on this week's Sunday Stamps 'tall buildings' prompt was New York.  The skyline made an appearance on this stamp with a Lockheed Constellation flying over it. Alas I did not have any other US stamps featuring skyscrapers but

1995: Definitive Stamp

the United Nations came to my rescue with its building in New York and a rather attractive postmark. So what other country came into my mind?  Well with its lack of space it has to be Hong Kong

1997: Hong Kong Skylines

and an evening skyline.  I don't know what the buildings are but

1999: Hong Kong Landmarks (Designer - C Tillyer)

at least this stamp tells me this is the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The building sits like a giant bird made of steel and glass by the water of Victoria Harbour, however the tower in the background, not a clue.   From the shining metal and glass of Hong Kong I turn to

1953: Millennial of the Kingdom of Denmark (Designer - V Bang; Engraver - Bent Jacobsen)

the old brickwork of Our Lady Church in Kalundburg, Denmark.  Built about 1170 the church stands on a hill above the harbour dominating the skyline with its 44m (144ft) central tower and the surrounding towers of 34m named after saints.   Kalunburg lies on the island of Zealand which is where

1944: The Round Tower (Red Cross Issue)

Denmark's capital and the start of the journey of this registered FDC from Copenhagen.  I always enjoy watching a parcel tracking app as a parcel wends it way to me but this envelope does it in an analog way if one looks at the back.

It has crossed Zealand from east to west arriving at Skaelstor on the same day 11 May 1944 and then taken the short trip across the water to the small island of Agerso, arriving with its recipient the next day 12 May 1944. Agerso is reputedly a tranquil place with a scattering of old farm houses, possibly a nicely out of  the way place for a Dane to be in 1944 when Denmark was under German military rule.

1944: The Round Tower (Design - V Bang; Engraver - J Britze)

The stamp shows the 17th Century 'Round Tower', an Astronomy observatory which is 36m tall however  if you take the spiral staircase to the top then you will have walked 209 metres.   Today it is used by amateur astronomers.

1963-1970 Definitives - Transport and Communications (Design - S Legrady)

I like this atmospheric 'brave new world' image of the Miskolc-Avas Television Tower.  It was built in 1966 in place of an old wooden lookout tower and indeed retains that usage for it has an observation deck.  Standing 72 metres (236 ft) I imagine there are some great views to be had.

The Shard, London

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Towers or Tall Buildings - look up See It On A Postcard