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
