Best Wishes to Everyone

Happy New Year!

Peace on Earth

Happy New Year

Bonne Année

Meilleurs Vœux

Meilleurs Voeux

This is a special card. The illustration was made by Michel Trani for a stamp design contest, held in 1998, with the occasion of the "Year of the Postman". Inside, there is a little book with a lot of designs.

Sent by Phillip (the USA), Catherine (France), Sandrine (France), Fabienne (France) and Paul (Australia).

7th Day of Christmas: Seven Swans a-Swimming

Twelve days of Christmas:

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming

Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Outgoing Festive Envelopes

6th Day of Christmas: Six Geese a-Laying

Twelve days of Christmas:

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying

Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Happy Snowpeople

Cards sent by Alicia (Spain) and Micu (Hungary).

5th Day of Christmas: Five Gold Rings

Twelve days of Christmas:

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Five Gold Rings

Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Sunday Stamps | V Is for Vote

Stamp (and first day postmark) issued in 2020 the U.S. Postal Service, which commemorates the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote.

And this is no the first time I have chosen this topic for Sunday Stamps.

When preparing this post, I received this postcard with a related stamp: on top, a stamp issued in 1970 for the 50th anniversary of the 19th Amendment:

The other stamp was issued in 1975, when the UN declared International Women's Day.

4th Day of Christmas: Four Calling Birds

Twelve days of Christmas:

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Four Calling Birds

Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Incoming Festive Envelopes

Envelopes made by Micu (Hungary), Fabienne (France), Laura (UK) and Rosemary (Canada).

3rd Day of Christmas: Three French Hens

Twelve days of Christmas:

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Three French Hens

Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Did You Have a Wild Christmas?

The title of this postcard is: The crocodiles' audition to become nativity animals was not going well.

2nd Day of Christmas: Two Turtle Doves

Twelve days of Christmas:

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves

(And two cardinals on the stamp!)

Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Traditional Christmas

The Virgin and the Child
Duccio

Christmas miniature
Missal of Abbot Diethelm Blarer von Wartensee
1555, Codex 357

I guess this one can be also be considered "traditional":

Postcards sent by Laura (the UK), Nina (the USA) and Bryon (idem).

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
December theme: CHRISTMAS

• Week 1 - Children (with or without toys)
• Week 2 - Christmas trees
• Week 3 - Tree ornaments
• Week 4 - Christmas

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

1st Day of Christmas: A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Twelve days of Christmas:

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree

Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Christmas stamps

Christmas stamps I received along 2025*:

Canada

1984. Snow in Bethlehem, by David Milne

1985. Santa Claus Parade

2023. Designed by Jocelyne Saulnier

Czech Republic

2020. Illustration by Josep Lada

Denmark

This stamp features Christiansfeld and belongs to the series about UNESCO WHS in Denmark (2020). But any stamp become a Christmas stamp when you apply a festive postmark on it, doesn't it?

France

1966. Georges de La Tour (1593-1652), Le nouveau-né (='The new born').

(Not issued, but sent, as Christmas stamps)

2013. Les Petits Bonheurs: Bienveillance (='Little Joys: Kindness')

2021. Ensemble, fêtons un Noël qui fait du bien

(='Let's celebrate a feel-good Christmas together)

Spain

2024. Tradition of cans dragging by children, Algeciras

United Kingdom

2001. Christmas Skating on Bird Bath (Designed by A. Robins and H. Brown)

2020. Window of St Andrew’s Church, Coln Rogers, Gloucestershire

United States of America

1967. (First stamp issued by USPS to feature the Madonna and Child)

2014. Christmas Magi

2020. Our Lady of Guapulo, 18th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2024. Label

2014. Christmas Magi

2016. Nativity Scene

2020. Our Lady of Guapulo, 18th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2018. Global: Poinsettia

2022. Snowy Beauty: Winterberry

2023. Snow Globes

2024. Holiday Joy

2024. Madonna and Child by Sassoferrato

2024. Holiday Joy

2024. Winter Whimsy

2025. Holiday Cheer

(Faint, but I got one of the new Christmas tree pictorial postmarks!)

*Some of them are the same than in previous years. But I keep going these again and again and, certainly... I do not mind!