The 12 Days Of Christmas Stamps 2014: Day 2 – Germany and Belarus

On 3 November, Germany released a Christmas stamp depicting the Star of Bethlehem, also known as the Christmas Star, which in the Christian tradition revealed the birth of Jesus to the Magi and led them to Bethlehem. I always enjoy seeing children’s artwork used on stamps and I often see potential stamp subjects amongst the drawings and colorings of my own students.

Germany has also released a very nice shaped stamp showing a snowman in a snow globe.

A pair of stamps marking Christmas and New Year were issued by Belarus on 2 October this year. The celebration begins each year with the Father Frosts and Snow Maidens parade in the center of Minsk on December 24th. Several centuries ago, much of the region celebrated the New Year on January 1 while the eastern territories followed the Byzantine tradition of ushering in the year on September 1. To this day, Christmas is celebrated twice in Belarus – 25 December by Belorussian Catholics and 7 January by Orthodox believers.

Regardless of your religious affiliation or the manner in which you celebrate (if at all) the Christmas season, I hope you are enjoying a look at the beautiful art created on these bits of paper we call postage stamps. If you would like to spread a little holiday cheer and send me a postcard or letter with a nice Christmas stamp affixed, I’d be very appreciative. My mailing address can be found below.

Happy Holidays!