Christmas 2012 stamps..

 

Faroe Islands

       

Date of Issue : 24 September

Christmas Carol stamps from Faroe Islands The Faroese Post launches the third traditional Christmas issue dedicated to the popular Faroese Christmas carols. The 2012 issue celebrates "Hvi man tad vera…?" and "Gledilig Jol" carols.

There is hardly any Faroese who does not immediately recognize the cheerful chorus of the song "Hvi man tad vera so hugnaligt i kvold?" (Why is everything so cozy tonight?). The song was written by Christian Holm Isaksen (1877-1935).

The song "Gledilig Jol" ("Silent night"), whose original title is "Stille Nacht", was presented for the first time on December 24th 1818 in Nikolaus-Kirche in Oberndorf, Austria. It was written two years earlier by the priest Joseph Mohr - and for the service in 1818, he had asked the head master and composer Franz Xaver Gruber to compose a melody for the poem.

San Marino

Issue date:  16th October 2012

A stamp dedicated to nativity by Marco Ventura. The oil painting represents "Madonna con bambino" (Our Lady with Child), in the background there is the Mount Titano of San Marino. The two archangels seem to protect the family sacredness. 

 

Classic Christmas images by Royal Mail

Date of Issue  : 6 November 2012 

The illustrator behind the world famous children's classic The Gruffalo brings his unique style to this year's Royal Mail Christmas stamp issue.

The seven stamps, issued on 6 November, are inspired by classic Christmas images, brought to life through the instantly recognisable illustrations of Axel Scheffler.

His gentle and disarming approach can be seen straight away on both the 1st and 2nd class stamps; a Christmas robin perches on Santa's hand on the 1st Class stamp, while a reindeer's antlers take on the role of a Christmas tree for the 2nd Class image.

The other Christmas stamps feature a snowman meeting a penguin (87p), a Christmas robin bearing a star decoration in his beak (£1.28), and on the £1.90 stamps, the cat and mouse set aside their normal differences to decorate the Christmas tree together.