SEPAC – The Seasons

The SEPAC issue is a joint stamp issue of thirteen small postal administrations: Iceland, Faroe Islands, Aland, Greenland, Monaco, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Malta and the Vatican. SEPAC stamps with various thematic motifs have been issued annually. The seasons constitute the SEPAC theme this year. Iceland issues a series of four stamps celebrating the seasons, with spring being Iceland’s contribution to the SEPAC issue.

Seasonal differences are rather pronounced at higher latitudes and the changes in climate and nature are usually impressive and fascinating. In spring the sun rises earlier and sets later – summer arrives with lighter nights and the scent of flowers. The colours of nature are fair and varied in autumn. Migrating birds bid farewell and practice aerobatics before flying off to warmer latitudes. Winter can be accompanied by terrific storms, snow covers the country with northern lights whirling and swaying across the sky on clear winter nights. In the astronomical sense seasonal changes occur at solstice or equinox. Thus, summer solstice in Iceland occurs on June 21, and winter solstice on December 21. Autumn starts at the autumn equinox on September 23, and spring at the equinox of spring on March 21.