New Zealand Christmas 2011

Christians celebrate Christmas in various ways.  In some Christian denominations, children re-enact the events of the Nativity with animals to portray the event with more realism or sing carols that reference the event.

New Zealand Post celebrated the Christmas 2011 by issuing a set of five stamps feature the Christmas Nativity .

The 60 c stamp represents “the baby Jesus wrapped by Virgin Mary in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn”.

As the new day began, suddenly an angel appeared  and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, 'Don't be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.'

Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The shepherds heard them praising God singing: 'Glory to God in highest, and peace to everyone on earth.' When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.'

Joy Christmas - Greece

Greece Post, to celebrate the Joy of Christmas  2010 , issued a special stamp set consist of four  single stamps feature the cheerful illustration of Christmas Season.

Nature also was rejoiced to welcome the Savior of the world. The birds are singing in the Christmas mood cheerful.

The angels sang hymns of praise invites mankind to come together to sing "Gloria in Excelcis Deo".

The joy of Christmas with family, friends is an unforgettable memories. Sailing trip is also one event where we can celebrate Christmas excitement. “Sea Christmas”

Now the pine tree is not decorated with candlelight flickering but with fairy lights and Christmas decorations such as fairies, stars, bells and other Christmas ornaments. With the Christmas tree, joy to welcome the birth of the Savior  more lively

Christmas 2009 – Bulgaria

 

In 2009, Bulgaria released  one stamp  to celebrate Christmas Season 2009 . 

 

The stamp features the illustration of the Virgin Mary and Child. The  illustration was taken from the Christmas Nativity story.

 

The Virgin Mary and baby Jesus are main concern of the Christmas spirit.  Every country issued the celebration stamps always feature this picture in many variety forms.

Joy to The World on Fiji’s stamp

All over the world is celebrated this holiday season with feasting and gift giving. The Christmas Story is captured on the four stamps which issued  by Fiji Post on the 1st December 2004.

The 18 c stamp represent  Virgin Mary, looks serene yet concerned as she receives the news that she is to be the Mother of the Messiah. The angel Gabriel announces to her that her child will be the Son of God.

 

The waiting is over and Jesus is born, wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger. This takes place in the city of Bethlehem, King David’s city. This holy child is laid on straw meant for animals, as there is no room at the  Inn.

Stained Glass Window Christmas - Isle of Man

Isles of Man Post pleased to release a special issue of stamps for celebrating  Christmas 2005 which feature stunning examples of stained glass windows from Churches on the Island. The five stamps  have issued on November 7, 2005.

The 26 p stamp present Mother and Child, Mary and Jesus. A detail from the window at the West end of the south aisle at St. German’s Cathedral, Peel.

The 29p stamp present Angel with the Crown of Glory. A detail from St. German’s Cathedral, Peel.The church used pictures to great effect for bible and morality stories. Stain glass continued, and even increased, in favour as wall painting diminished.

The 42 p stamp present  Shepherds come to warship the Christ Child. A further detail from the same window at  Peel, St German’s is unusual in having two windows side by side at the west end both depicting the Nativity. The larger nave window replaced  a different one blown out in great storm of 1903.

 

Christmas 2007 – Norway

On November 23, 2007, Norway Post released the wonderful Christmas stamps. The issue comprised of two single stamps  depict the illustration of the Christmas Nativity.

One  stamp shows a Christmas Night with the Star of Bethlehem in the sky. and the other  shows the Three Wise Men in front of the Baby Jesus.

Christmas 2012 – Australia

 

Australia Post  have issued  a set of five stamps to celebrate Christmas Season 2012.

The traditional Christmas story is presented in two of the five stamps from this year's Christmas stamp issue. The rest stamps depict the illustration related to the Christmas theme.

These religious stamps are based on the Adoration of the Magi, a wool and silk tapestry in the Art Gallery of South Australia.

 

The tapestry shows three richly garbed magi, or kings, offering their gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold to the Christ child. Matthew's gospel tells how the magi traveled afar from the east, and their origin is suggested by their turbans and embroidered clothing as well as by the dark skin colour of one of the kings.

The Virgin and Child are seated on a mound of hay within the manger (55c), while Joseph, pausing from his labour of wood chopping, witnesses the reverential scene.

An attendant angel appears in the background, with the illuminating star held in his hands. All around there is a profusion of flowers, including the lily, rose, iris, periwinkle,pansy and snowdrop, which are all acknowledged as symbols of the Virgin.

 

 

 

The other stamps in the issue are non-religious. The brightly coloured, celebratory subjects are suggestive of familiar Christmas carols "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas", "Jingle Bells" and "Ding Dong Merrily on High". The style is deliberately naïve, intended to recall a child's delight at Christmas time.

Christmas Motives 2005 – Norway

Norway Post pleased to release a set of two stamps for celebrating Christmas Season 2005 on November 19, 2005. The stamps depict Christmas motives .

Christmas trees are most associated with Christmas. Ginger bread biscuits are also part of Christmas and this stamp shows a Christmas  tree made of gingerbread biscuits sprinkled with icing sugar.

The oranges on this stamp are decorated with twenty-four clove buds and thus also function as advent calendars. The oranges have been placed on a dish of nuts.

Christmas Carols 2012 – Faroe Islands

 
 

To celebrate the Christmas 2012, Faroe Islands issued the third series of Christmas Carol stamps  on September 24, 2012. These two stamps feature the Christmas carol written by the two famous Faroese song writer, Kristin í Geil and Fríðrikur Petersen.

Kristin í Geil and Fríðrikur Petersen - two very different men - and two very different songs on the same topic. But at least they had one thing in common - they both enriched Faroese culture and language with their talent.

 

 

 

”It is Christmas Eve – ring, bell, ring, Bing, bang, bing – bing, bang, bing. Soon the tree is lightened, make a ring, Dance and hum and sing!” There is hardly any Faroese who does not immediately recognize the cheerful chorus of the song "Hví man tað vera so hugnaligt í kvøld?" (Why is everything so cozy tonight?). The song was written by Christian Holm Isaksen (1877-1935), commonly known as Kristin í Geil.

Christmas Noel in Stain glass - Canada 2012

Canada Post released a set of three stamps to celebrate the Christmas 2012, feature the Nativity story in Coloured Stain-glass.

This beautiful scene, vibrant and rich in colour, comes from the 150-year-old stained glass windows of the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Kingston, Ontario.

 

Coloured glass was adopted by Christian churches of the 4th and 5th centuries. It was used extensively to communicate Biblical stories to a mostly illiterate population.

The Madonna and Child pairing has been part of Christian art for almost two millennia. As Christianity spread and Mary’s role in Jesus’ life became more prominent, artistic images of her grew less formal and became more human and maternal.

 

Encyclopedia Britannica states that :  

"according to Western church tradition, Balthasar is often represented as a king of Arabia, Melchior as a king of Persia, and Gaspar as a king of India.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, the Magi found Jesus by 'following' a star. After found Jesus, they gave him three symbolic gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Christmas Season 2010 - Latvia

 
 

To celebrate Christmas Season 2010, Latvia  Post pleased to release a set of two stamps present the warmth and family –themes on December 2, 2010. The issue stamps designed by artist Ģirts Grīva .

The  LVL 0.35 value  stamps shown a little girl decorating a Christmas tree. It is one interesting activity before Christmas Time for  each member of family  or together with friends. It will as memorable time for every one.

 

The celebration of Christmas is therefore a much more recent custom than that of Easter, and represents an important family festivity marking the birth of Christ.

The LVL 0.60 stamp shown a boy holding a gift who has stopped to look at a tit in a rowan tree. Popular modern customs of the Christmas holiday include gift giving, Christmas music and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards.

 

The two new stamps are accompanied by a first-day envelope and special cancellation. The envelope shows a boy dragging a sled with gifts through a snowy forest, while the cancellation displays bells and the text Merry Christmas!

The 2nd Christmas Carol of Faroe Island

 

Faroe Islands  Post issued the second  of Christmas carol  stamp series to celebrate the Christmas 2011 on September 28,2011. The issue consist of two stamps , which have designed by Anker Eli Petersen,  feature the Christmas song by Wexelsens and Smith Clementsens.

Wexelsens childlike joy over the message of Christmas and the little Christ child - or Smith Clementsens captivating tale about the girl who looks forward to getting a new dress and her travel in the mythical universe of Christmas. Both are classics and remind us to stay in the holiday’s purest form - Christmas seen through the hopeful eyes of a child.

The motif of the 6.50 stamp is based on the modern Faroese Christmas classic, "Eg eri so spent til jóla" – “I can’t wait for Christmas to come.” The music was written by Jóhannus á Rógvu Joensen and lyrics by Ella Smith Clementsen.

This song became one of the most popular Christmas and children's songs ever on the Faroe Islands.

The song and the story is, briefly, about the six-year old Margreta who has problems with controlling her longing and expectations for Christmas.

In her restlessness she goes out for a walk and in Tórshavn’s old café, she meets a pixie-girl, who takes her out on adventures that only six year olds can experience.

The rest is history. The six-year Margreta who was looking forward to getting a new dress and went out on an adventure with the pixie girl, walked straight into the Faroese cultural consciousness and has stayed there ever since. A small figure with great symbolic importance for the modern view of Christmas.

Christmas 2010 – Gibraltar

 

Gibraltar Post  has celebrated the Christmas 2010 by  issuing  a set of four stamps  feature the icons in related with the Christmas season, Christmas ornament, Santa Claus, Christmas stockings, and Snowman on November 16, 2010.

Christmas ornament as important part of Christmas tree may include bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths, and angels.The practice of putting up special decorations at Christmas has a long history and the Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianize of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship.

 

Christmas stockings are hung near the chimney on Christmas Eve for Santa Claus to fill it with goodies for the children. It is an empty sock or a bag that is given the shape of a sock.

The children in United States and some other countries have been following this tradition of hanging a Christmas stocking, believing that Father Christmas will fill it with sweets and gifts for them. The items that are believed to be stuffed in the Christmas stocking by Santa Claus are known as stocking stuffers.

Christmas 2010 – Switzerland

Switzerland Post  released a set of three stamps to celebrated the Christmas 2010  on November 4, 2010. The stamps feature three icon of Christmas spirit,   a part of Christmas tree  with candle light, snow flake symbols, angle  sing  icon.

The 85 stamp present  symbolic of Christmas tree and candle light. The meaning of candle light is  a hoping  that the born of  baby Jesus  into the world will  enlighten the human  in order  more praise to the Lord.

The 100  stamp present  Christmas snow flake. Christmas Snow-fall can occur in England any time from November to April.

These snow identically with the condition of Christmas Season.

The 140 stamp present  an angel  sing a  song "Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild God and sinners reconciled" Joyful, all ye nations rise Join the triumph of the skies .

With the angelic host proclaim: "Christ is born in Bethlehem" Hark! The herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!"

Christmas Carol 2010 - Guernsey

To celebrate the Christmas 2010, Guernsey issued  a set of seven stamps  feature  some Christmas carol on November 4, 2010.  The Christmas Carols  presented on stamps are The Holy and The Ivy (31p), Little Donkey (36p), Silent Night(45p), I Saw Three Ships (48p), Joy  To The World (50p), Ding Dong Merrily On High (58p), We Three Kings (80p).

 

"The Holly and the Ivy" is an English traditional Christmas carol. The carol contains intermingled Christian and Pagan imagery, with holly and ivy representing Pagan fertility symbols. “The Holly and the ivy” have been the mainstay of English Christmas decoration for church use since at least the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Little Donkey is a popular Christmas carol, written by English hymn writer Eric Boswell (18 July 1921 – 29 November 2009), which describes the journey by Mary the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem on the donkey of the title. It was first recorded by Gracie Fields, whose single reached Number 21 in the UK Singles Chart in 1959.

Gloria In Excelsis Deo - Poland 2010

Polish Post issued  a set of two stamps feature the spirit of Christmas on November 27, 2010.  The issue stamps depict the Star of Betlehem  with text “Bog sie Rodzi Moc Truchleje” on the 1.55 zt stamp and the text “Gloria In Excelsis Deo” on the 2.40 zt stamp.

"Gloria in Excelsis Deo" is a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology  and the Angelic Hymn. In English  is "Glory to God in the highest".

Christmas Carol 2008 – Gibraltar

 

 

Gibraltar Post issued  Christmas stamps series  celebrate the wonderful carols sung by the children before and during Christmas both at school and at home on November 11, 2008.

 

 

 

The tradition of Christmas carols hails back as far as the 19th century, although carols were originally communal songs sung during celebrations like harvest tide as well as Christmas. It was only later that carols began to be sung in church, and to be specifically associated with Christmas.

 

 

Carols suffered a decline in popularity after the Reformation in the countries where Protestant churches gained prominence but survived in rural communities until the revival of interest in carols in the 19th century.

 

 

 

The first appearance in print of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”, “The First Noel”, “I Saw Three Ships” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” was in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1833) by William B. Sandys.

 

Niue Christmas 2012

The traditional illustrations featured on the Niue Christmas 2012 stamp issue portray the Nativity story - from the angel's announcement of Jesus's birth to the holy family in the manger and the visits from the wise men and the shepherds.

Along with the issuance the Christmas stamp, Niue Post also issued the First Day Cover . The cover have illustrated Joseph and  Virgin Mary  are traveling to Bethlehem city.

Navidad 2010–Ecuador

Christmas celebrated generally on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is an annual   commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed holiday.

In relation with the Christmas celebration, Ecuador Post released one stamp feature the illustration of Christmas spirit.

The stamp depicts the Nativity Christmas story, the baby Jesus in a manger with Virgin Mary and Joseph in a cave.

Noel 2011 – Luxembourg

Popular modern customs of the Christmas holiday include gift giving, Christmas music and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly.

In celebrating the Christmas 2011, Luxembourg Post issued one stamp feature the Christmas Party in a family. This time is very special for reunion the family and have been waiting in one year for each family’s member.

Christmas 2011 - Argentina

According to the Gospel of Matthew, the Magi or the (Three) Wise Men, (Three) Kings found Jesus by 'following' a star,which thus traditionally became known as the Star of Bethlehem. On finding him, they gave him three symbolic gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of the Christian tradition.

To celebrate the Christmas Season 2011, Argentina Post issued a stamp depicts Three Wise Men with  the Star of Bethlehem in graphical drawing.

Christmas 2011 – Bosnia & Herzegovina Croatian Post Mostar

In celebration the Christmas 2011, Bosnia Herzegovina released a set of two stamps feature icon of Christmas spirit, Christmas Tree and Nativity scene  on the first of December 2011.

Christmas Tree

The early 20th century saw Americans decorating their trees mainly with homemade ornaments, while the German-American sect continued to use apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies. Popcorn joined in after being dyed bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts.

Electricity brought about Christmas lights, making it possible for Christmas trees to glow for days on end. With this, Christmas trees began to appear in town squares across the country and having a Christmas tree in the home became an American tradition.

Nativity Scenes

Nativity scenes exhibit figures representing the baby Jesus, his parent Virgin Mary, and Joseph. Other characters from the nativity story such as shepherds, the Magi, and angels may be displayed near the manger in a barn (or cave) intended to accommodate farm animals.

Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223 (a "living" one) intending thereby to cultivate the worship of Christ, having been inspired by his recent visit to the Holy Land where he had been shown Jesus's traditional birthplace. The scene's popularity inspired communities throughout Catholic countries to stage similar pantomimes.

NAVIDAD 2012 – Spain

 

Espana Post released the stamps for celebrating the Christmas Time on November 5, 2012.

The series is made up of two stamps referring to Christmas with images of the past and present.

The first of the stamps depict The Adoration of the Magi, a mural of the 13th and 14th centuries found in the Chapel of St. Martin or Chapel of the Oil in the Old Cathedral of Salamanca.

This Chapel is located at the foot of the cathedral and its walls are decorated with polychrome paintings. In the basement are the graves of several bishops, like Rodrigo Diaz, beneath the fresco of the Adoration.

Back in 1996 a stamp series was devoted to the Nativity with a panel painting from the Diocesan Museum of the Old Cathedral of Salamanca.

 

The modern image of motherhood, as an allusion to the Nativity, features in the oil painting by Extremadura born artist J. Carrero.

Symbolically and interpreting the Christmas theme, the author presents a protective and tender embrace from a mother to her child.

Christmas 2011 'Nativity Art'– Gibraltar

 

Gibraltar Post has celebrated the Christmas Season 2011, by issuing the Christmas  stamps feature some of the most notable artistic representations of the Nativity by world famous artists on November 7, 2011.

 

By popular demand Gibraltar Post have featured a religious theme this year and the works are featured by the following artists: Charles Le Brun, Lorenzo Lotto , Agnolo di Cosimo, Gerard van Honthorst, Giorgione

 

 Charles Le Brun (24 February 1619 – 22 February 1690) a French painter and art theorist, one of the dominant artists in 17th-century France . His art work presents  on the 10 p stamp.

 

 

Lorenzo Lotto (c. 1480 – 1556) a Northern Italian painter draughtsman and illustrator, traditionally placed in the Venetian school who painted mainly altarpieces, religious subjects and portraits .

His art work presents  on the 42 p stamp.