Night Scenes for New Year's Eve

 

The New Year's Eve theme for Sunday Stamps is night scenes.

Based on how bright this lighthouse is shining, I'm going to go with at least twilight on this stamp, which luckily arrived yesterday - Canada Post knocked it out of the park with this design. Also, I had no idea how large the stamp was until I received one - perfect to spot all the little details.

To finish up a postal (mis)adventure, here is the conclusion to my story that started on this post.

I mailed four large envelopes (or 'flats' in USPS-speak) to the UK, France, Netherlands and Spain on Dec 1. The one to the UK was returned to me on Dec 11 with a label saying it needed a customs label, while the others reached their destinations. Well, as soon as I added the customs label, that meant the flat was now a package, so I had to add about $11 to the original amount (shown below). The amazing news is that, in spite of some really slow travel times to Europe in December, it arrived in 10 days, just in time for Christmas.

Two of the Woodland Animal stamps are night scenes - the rabbit and the owl. Interestingly, I have received several rabbits and foxes, but neither of the others in my holiday mail. 

For more links to night scenes on stamps, visit See it on a Postcard.

Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve celebration, and best wishes to everyone for 2024.

Look what just flew in

 Love this guy from Carroll

Thank you, this made me smile!

Happy Boxing Day

 To all who celebrate, enjoy the day!

Thanks for this lovely card, Fafa

Have a peaceful Christmas Day

 If you celebrate, have a lovely day. If you don't, I hope your day is peaceful.

Postcard from Eva showing the Portal de Sant Pere, with the star showing the way for the Magi.

Sunday Stamps - more Christmas

 Stained glass windows from Switzerland (2022)

As Eva wrote, a somewhat somber Christmas stamp from Spain this year

From Royal Mail's set this year featuring lyrics from carols:

A very nice stamp from Greece showing the three magi, with a beautiful gold foil accent. 

And some lovely stamps from France, courtesy of Fabienne. I love the red and blue against the red envelope, and the polar bears are my favorite. 

For more Christmas stamps check out the links at https://seeitonapostcard.blogspot.com/2023/12/snowy-scenes.html

Postbox Saturday

 I saw this in a hotel I stayed at recently:

The postcard station had an array of colored pens and some postcards available. 

Would you post something here?

Snow globes IV

 The final snow globe postmark features a tree.

Solstice

 Enjoy the winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere. I caught a bit of sunrise this morning, despite a forecast for clouds. 

Fear not, we start our journey back to lighter days tomorrow!

Snow globes III

 I had received this postmark, but it was a bit blurry and I couldn't quite figure it out. Then a nice clear one arrived - a fancy mansion in the snow globe. I'm sure many of us have driven past a huge home to admire the decorations at this time of year. 

On closer inspection, maybe it is 3 houses side by side? 

Snow globes II & Happy Bunday IV

 Here's a snowman snow globe postmark with a very white rabbit, one of the Winter Woodland Animals stamps.

Decemberzegels and more

 Every year the Dutch post office issues a set of stamps in December for holiday mail, the much anticipated Decemberzegels (December stamps).

Heleen is kind enough to send me some of them - here are stamps from 2022. I like the color palette used, and the decorative lettering is fun - the first time words have appeared on a December stamps issue.

The designer is Miriam Bos, and she has not one but two blog posts about the design process and stories behind the stamps. I really enjoyed seeing some of the early sketches of designs that didn't make the final set.

Fabienne sent me a card last Christmas with these fun stamps. Having a hard time deciding how to describe them - modern, semi-abstract? I'm always a fan of se-tenant stamps that can be used separately, then create a bigger picture when used together. The moons and stars hanging like ornaments in the sky on the top stamp are fantastic.

For more Christmas stamps go to https://seeitonapostcard.blogspot.com

Snow globes part 1

 There are some fun snow globe postmarks from USPS. I'm impressed that the spray on postmark looks so good.

First up, it's Santa!

Unwanted

 Here's what you don't want to have arrive in the mail 10 days after you sent it to the UK. 

Given the state of sending mail overseas lately, highly doubtful it will arrive before Christmas - and probably not until 202, particulalry when the main post office was out of customs forms...

On the 'plus' side, I've never seen one of these labels before - a new postal addition to me.

I'll keep you updated on its travels!

Happy Bunday III

 A very colorful rabbit sent by Eva much earlier in the year.

Caturday III

 A wonderful cat by Franz Marc sent by Fafa.

Thank you!

Christmas Eyes!

 Well, just like Mariah Carey returns every year to sing all I want for Christmas, the blog is back with Christmas mail!

First real Christmas card (and second overall) arrived from Eva.

Thank you for getting the season started!