Odd stamps : 01i Perfumed stamps

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Now the days are short and the nights are longer, we try to make it cosy at home.
Regardless if you turn your house into a lighthouse or not, lights add to create a nice atmosphere in your home.
So far, there are no stamps available that turn lights on in your house, but there's another option.

It has been a while, but I posted already some stamps with a frangrance.
The stamp(s) I present today fulfill your seasons' wishes.

The stamps were issued by Estonia, in november 2016.

The low value (€ 0.65) shows a bisquit in the shape of a snowflake, topped with ice sugar.

Estonia 643 - Christmas stamp 2016

The high value (€ 1.40) looks like a christmas three, but consists of a pile of figurines, (humans and animals) holding lights.

Estonia 644 - Christmas stamp 2016

The first stamp does not only shows a bisquit, it also smells like one.
It was printed with a fragrance of ginger and cinnamon.
Both stamps are autoadhesive, and to preserve the scent, it is best to keep them in a sealed (transparent) container.

See also my other post on this fragrance :
http://rainbowstampsandcoins.blogspot.com/2013/12/odd-stamps-01e-perfumed-stamps.html

Odd stamps: 01i Perfumed stamps

Writing this article, the end of the year is getting closer.
Time or some typical rituals that people like to maintain, when the darkest days are passing by.
Houses get overwhelmed with lights and f(l)aked christmas trees are draged into our houses.

Not only objects and music are typical for this time of the year, also some typical smells seem to have a preference for December and January.

It's the smell of cinnamon that also appears on two stamps of Estonia, one of the Baltic countries.

The highest value shows a pile of people and animals, forming a christmas tree with lights.
The second value is a cinnamon cookie in the shape of a snow flake.

The smell of cinnamon is strongly present, but in order to keep it like that, it's better to store the stamp in a separate holder. The stamps were issued in 2016 already, but are still spreading their fragrance.

The days that only love letters were perfumed is over, although I don't know many people who sniff their letters...

0-euro notes : 2 b. Finland

The second 0-euro note related to Santa and Christmas, comes also from Finland.
The first version is from 2018 (as it's the second note in the "Santa Claus' Main Post Office"-set, it gets date 2018-2), there are 10,000 copies.
Similar to the previous note, this one was reissued in 2019 (2019-2) now on 5,000 copies.

Serial numbers are LE (Finland) AH (AH-design) + 6 digits with dates 2018-2 or 2019-2.

0 euro LEAH (6) - 2018-2

On the image we see Santa's Office, where he receives and replies letters from children all over the world.

Santa Claus' post office in Rovanieme (Finland)

Santa Clause Post Office Seal

The Finns claim that Santa lives in Rovaniemi (Lapland) near the Polar circle.
But according the Danish, Santa lives in Greenland, in the city of Uummannaq.
And Santa's Little Helper lives in Springfield.... but that's another story...

0-euro notes : 2 a. Finland

What a better way to post my first 0-euro note, with Santa.

Santa, or Santa Claus who is apprearing in December, is a mixture of many old customs.
In the low countries, (Belgium and the Netherlands), Saint Nicolas comes in the night of his name day (Dec. 6), with gifts for the good children.
The legend of the Turkish bisshop of Myra (280 - 342 or 352 A.D.) who died on Dec. 6, tells the story of a man who was good to people in general and specificly to children.

Nicolas of Myra (280-342(352))

One legend tells that he resurected 3 students, who were killed by a innkeeper, who had the 3 bodies hidden in a barrel with brine.
A similar story exists in France, where a bucher who killed 3 children. Saint Nicolas saved them and brought them back to their parents...

Another legend, tells the story of a poor man who had no change of giving away his 3 daughters for marriage, as he could not afford the drowry. However the man (and his daughters) were saved from poverty, as 3 times, golden coins flew through the open window into the shoes of the girls...

Saint Nicolas (Sinterklaas)

Until today, children put their shoes (or socks) so that Santa can fill them with toys and chocolate coins.

The stories of Saint Nicolas entered the Americas by the Dutch colonists in the early 19th century. They were mixed up with anglosaxian stories of Father Christmas, and resulted in a 'modern' version of the two customs.
Probably is the Russian 'Father Frost' also part of the new Santa.
"Ded Moroz" lives in the cold northern Russia, and brings gifts to the people on December 31.

Ded Moroz

In 1931, the American drafstman Haddon Sundblom, made some drawings of Santa for the Coca Cola company. He gave Santa his current, 'modern' look.

Finland emitted in 2018 two notes: Santa Claus' Main Post Office - Artic Circle 66°33'07"N.
The first note (2018-1) shows Santa enjoying his hot tea (or Glühwein).

0 euro Finland - Santa Claus' Main Post Office

This note exists in 10,000 copies and was reprinted in 2019 (LEAH (6) /2019-1 in 5,000 copies.

At the back of the note, we see design C (with European buildings - Belèm Tower)

revers side - design C

to be continued...