Collecting Christmas stamps

Another Christmas season over, 

time to show (some of) the additions to my collection

First, Germany

2019

Spain

Top left: 2018, set of two

The classic or religious Christmas stamp issue this year depicts the Three Kings, in the Ateneo de Sevilla’s Epiphany Parade, alongside famous Seville landmarks such as the Torre del Oro,

 marking its centenary in 2018.

A century has passed since the Parade first made its way through the streets of Seville on 5 January 1918. A group of Ateneo members first had the idea to spread good cheer among the children and adults of Seville. Over the years, the Parade became more elaborate and more significant to the city than they could ever have imagined.

Top right: 2013, set of two

Happy New Year! is the message featuring in the Christmas stamp which is illustrated with the clock from the Puerta del Sol in Madrid and the traditional twelve grapes.

A custom in Madrid in the late 19th century imposed the intake of twelve grapes at the chimes of the clock in the Puerta del Sol. The practice soon spread throughout Spain and seems to have its origins in a surplus of grapes in the area of Alicante and Murcia. A grape is eaten at each chime with the wish for a prosperous and happy new year. This Spanish tradition became popular in Latin American countries where in some places fresh grapes are replaced by raisins like in Argentina. 

Bottom: 

2016 (bell), 2017 (star)

The 2016 stamp features a typical Christmas decorative bell.

The bell forms part of a set of three stamps that will be issued between 2016 and 2018, and that will be able to be stuck on a Collectable Christmas Card. The card is shaped like a Christmas tree for decorating with images featured in the three stamps:

-  Bell: 2016

-  Star: 2017

-  Present: 2018

This issue is especially dedicated to children, as their innocence and eagerness for Christmas to arrive mean they are the focal point of this holiday.

The 2017 stamp represents a typical Christmas star, which can also be added to the Christmas tree-shaped Christmas Collectible Card campaign. 

The “star” represented on the stamp is a golden star that includes the Correos logo alongside the words “Christmas” and “Spain”, as well as Tariff A, which is the stamp’s postal value.

The stamps have an internal die-cut form that allows the silhouette of the decorative figure to be removed in order to decorate the Christmas tree on the card or, they can be left intact for use as a standard stamp.

2019, set of two

You can read "Merry Christmas" in 

all the different official languages in Spain

The Netherlands

2019, set of ten

Designed by Lieke van der Vorst

U.K.

2019, set of eight

"shepherd and Christmas star"

Ireland

2019, set of six

Antique postcard from Ireland

"The Pier, Kingstown"

The town was built following the 1816 legislation that allowed the building of a major port to serve Dublin. It was known as Dunleary until it was renamed Kingstown in honour of King George IV's 1821 visit, and in 1920 was given its present name, the original Irish form of Dunleary. Over time, the town became a residential location, a seaside resort and the terminus of Ireland's first railway.

Walking the East Pier of Dún Laoghaire Harbour is the most popular tourism activity in Dún Laoghaire.

Stamp featuring King George V, 

used from 1912

Where did I disappear to?

You might have wondered: "What happened to this blog?"

I have been neglecting it for so long...

Well, here is the reason why: I moved! 

And not just to another house, no to a whole new country!

I am living in Ireland, Cork now. 

Although I kept posting on Instagram, I had no scanner

to make nice, clear images of my mail.

Yesterday that changed, I hope I can get everything to work soon, 

and then I will be back here with several updates. 

For the love of postcards

So I sent a few Postcrossing cards again

and these came in return

A nice view on Cobh, Ireland

A very pretty card called "Spring" from

the Netherlands

William II of the Netherlands

200 years of Waterloo

This beautiful card came from Poland,

from another Studio Ghibli fan

She also decorated the envelope and back of the card

with Ghibli themed washi tape

And look at all those stamps! 

Holiday card from Portugal,

Azores

50 Years Sanctuary of Christ the King

Christ the King Sanctuary (Santuário do Cristo Rei) was built in 1959

on the south bank of River Tagus, the 110 meter high statue of Christ offers

a magnificent panoramic view over Lisbon and River Tagus.

2009

Collecting Christmas stamps

Yes, Christmas stamps in the summer,

but I got these recently so I have to show them!

A Christmas stamp from Jersey!

Jersey's Christmas stamps from 2001 feature 10 different designs in self-adhesive strips. Three stamps show bells used as holiday decorations, such as the nondenominated (29-penny) stamp shown here. 

Ireland

I couldn't find any decent information on these stamps,

so if you can help me, I would be really greatful.

First mail week of 2014

This envelope comes from Taiwan, the country participated in the

 "Australia 2013 World Stamp Expo"

that marked the Centenary of the Kangaroo Stamp which was issued as the first Commonwealth postage stamp.

Beautiful stamps!

Cute cat card, 

facebook swap

It came with the new Dutch "international" stamp 

which shows the new king, Willem-Alexander.

The Netherlands no longer issue "Europe" and "World" stamps

from January 1st 2014. 

Christmas card and tea swap from Ireland, via Swap-bot

this is a resend, I am so grateful for all the effort put into it! 

A letter from a pen-friend I hadn't heard from in ages!

She wrote on this greeting card. (From the US)

And last but not least, a wonderful letter

from Tessa, the Netherlands

Postcrossing postcards

From the Czech Republic

I usually don't post the back of postcards, but this time 

the back was too pretty not to show. 

Plus it also gives information about the front. 

From Ireland

Views on Dingle

The stone building at the top right is the Gallarus Oratory

A set of two new 55c stamps marking two Significant Science Milestones: Dublin City of Science 2012 and the 350th anniversary of the formulation of Boyle’s Law.

The City of Science stamp shows a photograph of Dublin’s Convention Centre – the venue hosting the Euroscience Open Forum 2012 (ESOF2012) from 12th-15th July – alongside a graphic of DNA’s molecular structure, representing people and their individuality. A second stamp shows an image of Boyle, his infamous formula, with an explanatory diagram alongside.

Malahide Castle

A postcard from Ireland

Malahide Castle, County Dublin was built in 1175 by Richard Talbot 

and remained in the Talbot family for eight hundred years except for

a short interuption when Cromwell evicted John Talbot for his part

in the 1641 Rebellion.

I won this postcard at a lottery here,

Monikucha's postcards

Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey is een benedictijner klooster, opgericht in 1920 op de gronden van Kylemore Castle voor Belgische benedictijner nonnen die uit Ieper waren gevlucht tijden Wereld Oorlog I. De nonnen openden een internationaal internaat en een school voor lokale meisjes, die pas sloot in juni 2010. De Abbey en het Landgoed zijn open voor het publiek. 

Kylemore Abbey is a benedictine monastery founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle for Belgian benedictine nuns who fled Ypres during World War I. The nuns opened an international boarding school and established a day school for local girls, which closed in June 2010. The Abby and Estate are open to the public.  

De constructie van Kylemore Castle begon in 1867, het duurde vier jaar en honderd man om het te bouwen.

The construction of Kylemore Castle first began in 1867, and took one hundred men four years to complete.

Castle

Ross Castle bevindt zich aan de 'Lakes of Killarney', Graafschap Kerry. Het kasteel dateert van de late 15de eeuw.

Ross Castle situated on the 'Lakes of Killarney', County Kerry. The castle dates from the late 1400's.

Trinity College

The Long Room, Trinity College, Dublin

De grote zaal van de Oude Bibliotheek, de 'Long Room', is bijna 65 meter lang en bevat ongeveer 200.000 van de oudste boeken van de bibliotheek. In 1860 is het dak verhoogd om de constructie toe te laten van het huidige tonvormige plafond en galerij met boekenrekken. Marmeren bustes staan aan elke kant van de kamer welke ook de oudste, nog intacte harp in Ierland bevat.  

The main chamber of the Old Library, the Long Room, is nearly 65 metres in length, and houses around 200.000 of the Library's oldest books. In 1860 the roof was raised to allow the construction of the present barrel-vaulted ceiling and gallery bookcases. Marble busts are placed down either side of the room which also contains the oldest surviving harp in Ireland.