Christmas Mail…

 

Christmas Mail by Slovakia Post

Christmas Mail has been organised by Slovenska posta since 1999. Writing to Baby Jesus has become popular with the public and many of us traditionally connect it with the pre-Christmas period. Not only children, but adults as well, can send their Christmas wishes to Baby Jesus at the address “999 99 Jezisko” (Baby Jesus).

The 15th jubilee year of Christmas Mail is connected with the issuing of the postage stamp “Christmas Mail”. The postage stamp is based on a drawing by Erika Korkovanova from Kolarovo who won the children contest for the most beautiful drawing for Baby Jesus. Almost 5,800 drawings were sent to the contest announced during the previous year of Christmas Mail.

Slovenska posta assists with the delivery of all consignments addressed to Baby Jesus to the post office in Rajecka Lesna, where Christmas Mail resides. There is also situated the official post box of Baby Jesus. At the same time, Slovenska posta delivers a response from Baby Jesus to everyone who writes a return address on their mail.

Christmas Mail in Rajecka Lesna can be visited throughout the year and thus, it is possible to experience the Slovak Christmas atmosphere in any season of the year.

During the previous 14 years, almost 1,250,000 letters were delivered to the address of the Slovak Baby Jesus. Hundreds of letters are also delivered from foreign countries, especially from the Czech Republic, Germany, Taiwan, Romania, England and Russia, USA, China, Israel and New Zealand as well. Baby Jesus also answers letters from abroad, and replies to blind and partially sighted children in Braille.

Christmas and New Year stamps from Slovenia

 

Date of Issue : 22 November 2013

The development of postcard culture, particularly with the advent of photography, had a significant effect on the production of New Year’s greetings postcards, a notable phenomenon from the end of the nineteenth century onwards. The girl in the New Year’s card shown on the stamp is dressed in winter clothes. This has the dual purpose of drawing attention to the winter season and communicating an ideal world, in this case in terms of clothing. In her right hand she is holding a calendar showing the number 1, to symbolically indicate the first day of the New Year. The number is adorned by two four-leafed clovers – traditional symbols of good luck. Her left hand clutches two yellow roses, while under her arm is a present tied up with a ribbon, something which in the twentieth century became an almost compulsory element of depictions of this kind. New Year’s Eve celebrations and the giving of beautifully wrapped New Year’s gifts are in fact a twentieth-century phenomenon.

Gnomes and toadstools – for good luck in the New Year

The gnome and toadstool are two typical New Year’s symbols, not just in Slovenia but in many other environments too, particularly in the Germanic world. A gnome is a legendary creature similar to a goblin but with a much more positive character. In folk mythology gnomes are connected with the fertility of nature and earthly riches. They are also considered the guardians of knowledge and wisdom. People saw them as good house spirits who helped human beings in their work and brought them good luck and health – but only if they were treated well. It is therefore no surprise that the practice of placing gnomes in gardens and allotments is still very widespread today. The connection of gnomes with nature is also illustrated by the toadstools with which they are (or were) frequently depicted on New Year’s postcards and greetings cards. Numerous belief systems around the world see the toadstool as a symbol of life, in particular of long life or even eternal life.

Club News

Philatelic Exhibition  at Thiruvananthapuram

Ananthapuri Philatelic Association,  is organising a Philatelic Exhibition at Thiruvananthapuram from 28th February to 2nd March 2014.   The venue will be YMCA Hall, Statue, Thiruvananthapuram.  The exhibition will remain open from 9.30 am to 7.00 pm on all days. 

For more details contact V.Balakrishnan Nair, President,( Mobile No.09446028188) / P.Mohanachandran Nair, Secretary (Mobile No.09387801948) Email:apa.tvpm@gmail.com

: Mohanachandran Nair- Thiruvananthapuram