Tips on Stamp Collecting

Finnish Christmas stamps 2008

Tree and forest animals on Christmas stamps

On the Finnish Christmas stamps, bear fetch their Christmas tree and forest animals dance in a round game. At the same date, the transparent Frosty Night stamp was issued. Finland's Christmas stamps were issued on 6 November 2008. The designer of the stamps is Julia Vuori, who has charmed children and grown-ups alike with her adult uniqueness and childlike happiness in her illustrations for children's picture books and art books as well as her humorous animal cartoons. Perhaps her most famous cartoon character is Pig. For the Christmas stamps, Julia Vuori drew bears and other forest animals in the fir tree forest and around the Christmas tree.

Two Christmas stamps

There are two Christmas stamps. The 60 cent stamp mainly for Christmas cards shows a big and a small bear traipsing through a snowy forest: they are getting their Christmas tree. The red, first class Christmas stamp shows forest animals gathered together around a Christmas tree for a round game. Both stamps are self-adhesive.

Transparent Frosty Night

On the same date as the Christmas stamps the Frosty Night stamp will be issued. This is believed to be the world's first transparent stamp. Printed on a special film, the €0.80 stamp was designed by Nina Rintala.

Mystical atmosphere

The designer has created the mystical atmosphere of a winter's night on the stamp using a large snowflake, twinkling stars in the distance, and a flickering aurora borealis. The card or envelope the stamp is affixed to will tint the result with its own colors.

Christmas stamps in detail

Christmas stamps "Fetching the Christmas Tree" and "Round Game"
Stamp issue: Finland, 6 November
Perforation: safety perforation
Stamp sizes: 24.5 x 34.5 mm and 34.5 x 24.5 mm
Printers: Walsall Security Printers and Joh. Enschedé Stamps

Frosty Night
Stamp issue: Finland, 6 November
Design: Nina Rintala
Perforation: safety perforation
Stamp size: 34.5 x 24.5 mm
Printer: Joh. Enschedé Stamps, the Netherlands

Postage stamp for President Ahtisaari

On 10 December 2008 a commemorative stamp for the winner of the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize, Mr Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland, was issued. The blue-tinted 80-cent stamp beara a picture of Martti Ahtisaari, his name and the text "Nobel 2008 Peace Prize" in four languages. Antti Raudaskoski designed the stamp. Marja Airio (Lehtikuva) took the photo used for the stamp. "The stamp hints at the LIN flag. Among the colors, you can find those of Finland," explains the designer. The postage stamp will be accompanied by a first day cover and postmark, also designed by Antti Raudaskoski. The FDC bears President Martti Ahtisaari's signature and a mention of the Nobel Prize. With the signature, the designer refers to the signing of peace treaties, and the coloring and composition of the FDC underlines the importance of the award. The first day postmark reads simply "PAX".

Stamps issues

Postage stamps have been issued in the past for the Nobel Prize for Literature winner Frans Emit Sillanpää (1888-1964) and the winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry winner Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (1895-1973). Both postage stamps were issued in 1980. A silhouette of Finnish born Nobel prizewinner for medicine Ragnar Granit (1900-1991) was on a Physiology stamp issued in 1989.
In 1997, a stamp was issued to mark President Martti Ahtisaari's 60th birthday. He served as President of Finland 1994-2000.