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!

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!

Building Christmas

Illustration: @cremebrulee

It seems Sinterklaas attended a Postcrossing meeting last year in Utrecht (the Netherlands). The meeting took place in the Ikea store, as you can see in the second postcard:

These cards were sent by Heleen (the Netherlands).

Sinterklaas

I hope that, if you live in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas brings you presents and joy. 

The illustrator of this postcards is Julia Swan; it was sent by Heleen (the Netherlands).

Santa's Reply

Maybe you remember that last year I sent two letters to Santa. I want you to know that, in January, I received a very nice letter from him.

Sunday Stamps | Christmas in July

I do not really understand the celebration of Christmas in July, but this is the first stamp that came to my mind...

Go to Sunday Stamps to see more Christmas-in-July stamps.

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Finland

Micu sent me this postcard in January (actually, from Hungary). I think it shows the museums network in Finland.

But, when I first became a postcrosser (in 2008), there were a lot of Finnish users. Some people complained because they got "too much" postcards from Finland. That was never a problem for me. Usually, postcards and stamps from Finland are very nice!

Along the years, I have received quite a few maps of the country...

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
February theme: MAPS

• Week 1 - Country
• Week 2 - City or Metro/Transportation
• Week 3 - With Pictorial Landmarks
• Week 4 - States/Provinces/Counties

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

Merry Christmas!

By Omomo Yosuke

Sent by Eri (Japan).

Christmas Magic

Looks like the Christmas magic is working, and some more Christmas cards and letters arrived today…

Little Women
Illustration by Dawn Cooper

'Are you really sure you have been good?'

By Alexander Holzach

Nisse med lyskæde

By Barry West

One thing I like about getting mail from Denmark is the Christmas seals:

December Stamps (2023)

Each year, PostNL issues new December stamps, (Decemberzegels) which can be used by everyone to send each other Christmas and New Year cards at a reduced rate. The illustrations for the 2023 December stamps were created by illustrator Linde Faas from Tromsø, Norway.

Heleen sent to me the complete series last year, on the back of different postcards --I uploaded to the blog only the first. 

More information about the December set here.

Letters to Santa

I have sent two letters to Santa Claus. Do you think he is going to reply? Probably not, as he is so busy this time of the year!

Old Father Christmas

In comes I, old Father Christmas
welcome or welcome not.
I hope old Father Christmas
will never be forgot.

I don't think old Father Christmas has been forgotten. But no doubt his image has changed thorough the years.

Mail sent by Alan (UK) and Bruno (PC).