Canada: Victoria with Margaret Atwood Stamp

On 15th December I got three postcards: one from Canada, one from Austria and one from Japan.

The card from Canada shows the inner harbour of Victoria in British Columbia. Victoria was founded in 1843 and is named after Queen Victoria. It is the capital city of British Columbia and Canada's southernmost major city. 

Some great stamps were issued in 2021: Mother Hulda in Germany, Napoleon in France, Pokemon in Japan, Classic Science Fiction from the UK, Star Wars Droids from the USA and three Postcrossing issues to name just some of them. Another stamp I was hoping for for years was issued by Canada Post on 25th November. It shows the famous Canadian writer Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood was born in Ottawa in 1939. She began writing at the age of six, but it was until the early 1960s that she gained her first successes. Since then she has won numerous international awards and honors for her writing including two Booker Prizes, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Governor General's Award, the Franz Kafka Prize, Princess of Asturias Awards and the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. Included on the stamp is an excerpt from her poem Spelling (you can find it online), but her most famous work is of course The Handmaid's Tale. The book is among my favourites and I also really like the TV adaptation and the sequel novel The Testaments. When this stamp was revealed on issue date, I watched the launch ceremony online live from Canada (you can find it on YouTube). It was funny to hear how much they joked about Atwood being honoured with a stamp before her death. Also she said that she was a stamp collector herself in her youth and that she hopes that also younger collectors will enjoy the stamp. Great to have this stamp for my collection, now I just need to find time to read Oryx and Crake. Two more nice stamps were used on the card as well. Next to Margaret Atwood is another inspiring and also still living woman, Buffy Sainte-Marie (issued 18-11-2021). Buffy Sainte-Marie is an Indigenous Canadian-American singer-songwriter and in 1983 became the first Indigenous person to win an Oscar for her song Up Where We Belong written for the film An Officer and a Gentleman. Below is a cute Christmas stamp with a portrait of Santa Claus (issued 01-11-2021). It is one of four Canadian Christmas stamps of this year. The others show portraits of an Elf and a Reindeer and an Angel over a Church. 

Thank You very much Tristan!

Japan: Mount Fuji

On 15th December I got three postcards: one from Japan, one from Canada and one from Austria.

The card from Japan shows Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is the highest volcano in Japan and has always been a sacred place and a source of artistic inspiration. Nowadays it is also an internationally recognised icon of Japan. Since 2013 is Mount Fuji on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

One of fifteen Demon Slayer stamps (issued 06-12-2021) and its First Day Special Postmark were used here. Although I really like to watch anime, I do so all too rarely. Demon Slayer sounds like something I would have enjoyed, but unfortunately I missed the broadcast on German TV this summer. Such a pity this stamp issue was announced too late. Otherwise I would have known what to look out for.

Thank You very much Keiko!

Austria: Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf

On 15th December I got three postcards: one from Austria, one from Japan and one from Canada.

The card from Austria shows the Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf. The Silent Night Chapel was built between 1924 and 1936 at the site of the former Saint Nicholas' Church, which was demolished after it was damaged during the floodings of the Salzach in the late 19th century. The new chapel was built as memorial for the Christmas carol Silent Night. This carol was performed in the Saint Nicholas' Church for the first time in the World on the 24th December 1818.

A nice stamp about the 200th anniversary of Silent Night (issued 23-11-2018) was used here. That stamp, the second personalised stamp and the postmark all show the chapel. The postmark commemorates the 20th anniversary of the granting of town privileges to Oberndorf.

Thank You very much Anita!

France: Eiffel Tower

On 14th December I got a postcard from France.

It shows some old views of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The stamp commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Christmas Tree tradition in the Alsatian city of Sélestat (issued 22-11-2021). Like many recent French stamps this one looks even better in real life than it does on a picture. Some baubles on the tree are treated with vanish and the numbers in the upper right corner are printed with gold foil. 

Thank You very much William!

Germany: Antikolonialdenkmal in Bremen

On 10th December I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the Antikolonialdenkmal in Bremen. The Antikolonialdenkmal was originally erected in 1931 as main monument to Germany's colonial past, in 1990 however it was rededicated as an anticolonial monument. In the years since then it became a place of active debate over the dark sides of the German imperialism in Africa and Namibia in particular. 

A nice stamp was used here. It is the most recent stamp in the series about Childhood Heroes (issued 02-12-2021) and shows Bibi and Tina. Great to get this stamp on "real" (commercial) mail and not only on the philatelic cards I sent to myself. As the postage will be increased in January, there is just one month to get this stamp properly used without extra stamps. In addition it was cancelled with the Covid-19 postmark from the mail sorting centre 28 in Bremen.

Thank You very much Svenja!

Germany: Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum

On 9th December I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows a Christmassy view of the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum in Bremen's Böttcherstraße. The Böttcherstraße is a short street that is a main cultural landmark and tourist attraction in the city due to its unusual architecture. Mainly erected between 1922 and 1931 at the behest of coffee trader Ludwig Roselius, the street is a rare example of Expressionist architecture. The Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum is one of the most striking buildings in the street. This museum about the important early Expressionist artist Paula Modersohn-Becker was opened in 1927 and is the first museum in the World solely dedicated to a female artist. 

A stamp about the Star of Bethlehem (issued 03-11-2014) was used here.

Thank You very much Svenja!

Austria: Saint Nicholas

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

On 8th December I got four postcards: three from Austria and one from Germany.

One of the cards from Austria shows a nostalgic illustration of Saint Nicholas by Tausendschön.

A matching personalised stamp was used as well as two different Saint Nicholas postmarks from Pram and Strudengau.

Thank You very much Anita and Merry Christmas to you as well!

Austria: Christkindlmarkt in Graz

On 8th December I got four postcards: three from Austria and one from Germany.

One of the cards from Austria shows the Christkindlmarkt in Graz. 

The card was sent with an Advent postmark and a Vintage Christmas stamp (issued 30-11-2018).

Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Climate Change

On 8th December I got four postcards: three from Austria and one from Germany.

One of the cards from Austria shows views of Austria and Greenland.

Used was this stunning souvenir sheet about the Climate Change (issued 06-12-2021). Actually it was supposed to be a joint issue, but it seems like Greenland had no interest in highlighting this important theme.

Thank You very much Anita!

Germany: Christmas in Wernigerode

On 8th December I got four postcards: one from Germany and three from Austria.

The card from Germany shows a Christmassy view of the Town Hall in Wernigerode. The Town Hall in Wernigerode was first mentioned in 1277 and was once used as comital court. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful town halls in Europe.

German Christmas stamps are always only issued for a letter rate, but due to prize increases this Star of Bethlehem (issued 03-11-2014) is now perfect for a postcard.

Thank You very much Marcel and Merry Christmas to you as well!

Austria: Christkindlmarkt in Vienna

On 6th December I got five postcards from Austria.

One of them shows the Christmas Market in front of Vienna's Town Hall. Markets at Christmas time are held in Vienna at least since 1382, the modern Christkindlmarkt however just dates back to 1764. It moved its location various times and is held in front of the Town Hall only since 1975. This is the biggest Christmas Market in Austria and attracts roughly 3million visitors in normal years, although there are nearly similar markets more just in Vienna.

This card was signed during a small Postcrossing Meet-up in Vienna and a Christmas stamp with a Rocking Horse (issued 12-11-2021) was used. I really like this stamp.

Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Sleigh Ride

On 6th December I got five postcards from Austria.

One of them shows a nostalgic Sleigh Ride. This card is made by the popular postcard publisher Tausendschön.

The most extraordinary Austrian Christmas stamp of the year of used hear. It is shaped like a mitten and printed on a material that evokes a textil touch. The issue date was the 12th November 2021.

Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Christmas by Minna Lehväslaiho

On 6th December I got five postcards from Austria.

One of them shows a Christmas illustration by Minna Lehväslaiho. Minna Lehväslaiho is an artist from Finland who is mainly focused on postcard illustrations. In 2019 she was the Finnish Postcrossing Friends Association's Artist of the Year.

Like common in recent years one of the Austrian Christmas stamps shows a work of classic art and this year's stamp shows Gerrit Dou's painting Girl with a Candle at a Window from the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. Gerrit Dou was a Dutch artist and a student of Rembrandt. This stamp was issued on 26th November 2021.

Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Graz during Christmas

On 6th December I got five postcards from Austria.

One of them shows an illustration of Graz during Christmas time. This illustration of Styria's capital was made by Paul Mangold.

The stamp used here celebrates the Birth Centenary of Reinhold Stecher (issued 19-11-2021). Reinhold Stecher was Bishop of Innsbruck, artist and stamp collector. Many of his works were already used on Austrian Christmas stamps.

Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Christmas by Minna Lehväslaiho

On 6th December I got five postcards from Austria.

One of them shows a Christmas illustration by Minna Lehväslaiho.

One of the Austrian Christmas stamps with its First Day Special Postmark was used here. It shows a detail of an altarpiece from the Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. This image with Saint Joseph with the joyful Child Jesus was chosen for the stamp, as 2021 was the Year of Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church.

Thank You very much Anita!