Chin! Chin!

 Time to say farewell to 2025 with a postcard from Eva :)

Chin! Chin! as we toast the new year!

This made me laugh...

What do you think or hope 2026 will bring?

V is for Variety

 I am always amazed at the options for holiday stamps issued by the USPS. This year's selection is nice - I like the Holiday Cheer set more than I thought I would when I first saw them, and the Winter Landscape stamps are beautiful, if a bit small to really appreciate the details, particularly once the postmark is applied.

Do you have a favorite from these sets? 

Last year's stamps and several Madonna and Child ones are also available in the online shop, as well as stamps for other holidays like Kwanza, Hannukah, Eid and Diwali.

For links to more stamps inspired by the letter V, head over to See it on a Postcard.

Caturday

 

Thursday postcard hunt - Christmas

 Merry Christmas from.... Japan! Postcrossing has come through for me once again this month.

And also from Bulgaria - this card is stunning

If you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful day, and if not, I hope your day is peaceful.

See more links to Christmas postcards at See it on a Postcard.

Christmas Eve

 Great card from CJ. arrived yesterday

I love the way she wrote my name on a curvy line with holly decorations

What are your plans this Christmas Eve? 

I have to brave the stores for some last minute shopping, and then I plan on drinking wine in front of the tree.

U is for USPS' 250th birthday

 Today is the solstice... time to celebrate the slow return of the sun in the northern hemisphere!

The special postmark celebrates 2025 as being the 250th year since the start of the postal service in the United States. The interesting thing about the USA is that the postal service is written into the constitution -  I wonder what it will look like in the future... will we recognize it in 10 years time?

Thursday postcard hunt - Christmas ornaments

 I didn't think I'd have anything for today, then this lovely postcard arrived last week from Belgium via postcrossing.

As it turns out, the sender wrote that they had intended to send a different postcard, then put stamps on this one. A serendipitous mail adventure!

And ornaments in a holiday wreath, also via postcrossing.

For links to more postcards, explore the links at See it on a Postcard

How do you like to choose ornaments - traditional, whimsical, by color, by theme, or a complete mixture of all styles? 

Tissue box in the tree

 Last year Jean inspired me to show a festively designed box of tissues in my tree.  This year Meier had the best selection in my opinion, and this bear is my favorite.

Do you like to hunt for tissues with a holiday design? What did you find this year?

T is for...

 It's the letter T for Sunday Stamps

Part of Canada's far and wide set, issued in 2025 this stamp features the Thousand Islands (and the stamp is Tiny)

Here's a Train stamp from Belgium, issued in 1985 as part of a set celebrating 150 years of rail transport. Link to the full set

And stamps celebrating Three Spanish Theatre festivals from Eva, who wrote that she has visited Two of the theatres.

Explore the links to more T stamps over at See it on a Postcard

Thursday postcard hunt - Christmas trees

 Here's a very attractive tree postcard received from a US postcrosser.

and another one arrived this week! 

The last card arrived with this festive tree postmark, I think it's new for 2025 🎄

To see more Christmas tree postcards, explore the links at See it on a Postcard.

Do you prefer a real tree, or an artificial one? Or maybe no tree?

Deck the halls

 This card made me smile. 

How is your snail mail faring this season? 

S is for holiday Stamps with last year's festive Snowman postmark

 Stamps that arrived in 2024

A deer and tree (Holiday Delights, 2020)

Santa's sleigh and reindeer (A visit from St Nick, 2021)

More deer, in a snow forest (Winter Scenes, 2020)

Madonna and child (2024)

Yet another deer (Woodland animals, 2023)

And any stamp can be a holiday stamp with a jolly snowman postmark (Liberty, from Four Flags, 2012)

 

Christmas cactus

 Sent via a Postcrosser in Arizona - I love it!

What's your tree like?

How ready are you?

 Mariah Carey has fully defrosted, my tree is up, and the first Christmas mail has arrived.

On a scale of scream to 10, how ready are you for Christmas?