Collecting Christmas stamps

Thanks to the kind Laura, my Finland Christmas stamp collection got an amazing boost. 

1990

One of the most beloved Finnish illustrators was Marja-Liisa Pitkäranta, who designed the 1990 Christmas postage stamps. The theme of the stamps was the Santa Claus’ Main Post Office in Rovaniemi.

The discount rate stamp shows a view from the Post Office where “mail elves” are working hard to answer all the letters from the children around the world.

1991

The clash of two very different Santa and Christmas cultures is very tangible on 1991 Christmas postage stamps.

Discounted domestic rate stamp displays a very traditional finnish Christmas elf with forest animals. (left)

 The international rate stamp displays the “americana” version of Santa flying with reindeers; the building on bottom of stamp is Santa’s Main Post Office at Rovaniemi. In Finnish tradition, the Santa (Joulupukki) doesn’t have flying reindeers but he moves on the ground. (right)

1992

The 1992 Christmas stamps are the very first Finnish stamps that focus entirely on religious side of Christmas.

The domestic discount rate stamp displays a picture of early Christmas morning church. The Church of St. Lawrence (finnish: Pyhän Laurin kirkko) was established c. 1460, and it is one of most prestigious churches in Finland.

1993

The 1993 Christmas postage stamps display drawings by children. The discounted domestic rate stamps features santa and a bunch of Christmas elves around the Christmas tree.

1994 

The domestic discount rate stamp features “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”. The Finnish version of the song is called “Petteri Punakuono”. 

1997

1998

1999

Sources: Stamp Collecting Blog