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.

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.

Classical Faroese Christmas Carols

 

Any country, where people celebrate Christmas, has its own Christmas carols. There are numerous Christmas carols in Faroese, and the next three years ,  since 2010 Faroe Islands Post  have been issued Christmas Carol stamps.

On March 28, 2010, Faroe Islands Post issued a set of two stamps feature   the undisputed masters of Faroese children's songs – Hans Andreas Djurhuus and Alexandur Kristiansen.

 

 

Á barnaárum ungu – In My Early Childhood
In the song "Á barnaárum ungu", H. A. Djurhuus looks back on his childhood Christmas, when he played with the candles. He used to light the candles and put them out, while he waited for the church bells to ring. When the bells started their ringing, he lighted all the candles, and in their lights he imagined the little prince, which brought light and hope to the world.

“And years have past since then. And children wait, like I did then, when the candlelight is burning the memories come back. “