Romfilatelia celebrates the winter holidays with an issue of postage stamps entitled Christmas Tree Celebrations, which will be introduced into circulation on Thursday, December 14, this year. The issue, consisting of 2 stamps, a perforated souvenir sheet and a First Day Cover, illustrates, in the images reproduced, the atmosphere and spirit of the Christmas period.
The fir, the tree that stands out for its evergreen foliage accompanied by a fresh scent, felt in the presence of snowflakes, has become the most important tree of the Christmas ritual.
The custom of decorating fir trees has been known since the 16th century, when it began to be attributed a biblical meaning, namely that a decorated fir tree represents the tree of paradise, abundance, innocence and knowledge. Germany is accredited as the country where the Christmas tree tradition originally began. Also in Germany, the reformer Luther added lighted candles among the ornaments of the tree.
On the American continent, the German settlers of Pennsylvania decorated the first Christmas tree in 1830. Native Americans saw this custom as pagan. Over time, however, the Christmas tree became a visible presence. In 1948, the tallest conifer installed at Rockefeller Center was a Norway spruce, which measured 31 m tall. Nowadays, the tree in the centre of New York is decorated with 30 thousand lights and a Swarovski star.
In Romania, the first decorated Christmas tree was seen at the palace of Prince Carol I of Hohenzollern, after coming to the United Principalities, in 1866. From this beginning, practically, the Christmas holiday cannot be separated from the presence of the decorated tree in the house, in the yard or in the public premises. Children participate with great passion in decorating the tree, having the firm belief that Santa Claus, coming in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, will also stop at their house to bring them sweets and the most coveted toys.
The Christmas tree is also the central point of the places where festivities, concerts, the most beautiful activities with the participation of children are organized. The evening, when the family gathers around the decorated Christmas tree, together with all their loved ones, is one of the most beautiful holidays of the year. The songs and the twinkling lights of the little lights and candles bring a fairy tale and dreamy atmosphere to everyone, be they elderly or children.
The postage stamps depict a house where lights and a decorated tree will beautify all the nights of the Christmas and New Year holidays (face value of Lei 1.60), respectively the image full of the colours of the balls next to the face full of visible joy of the little one waiting for the presents (face value of Lei 22). The philatelic perforated souvenir sheet (with the face value of Lei 35) presents a unique image of children making the final arrangements of the Christmas tree decorations, in a pose in which Santa Claus delivering presents looks with delight at the place where he is preparing to make a short stop.
The First Day Cover brings together the image of snowflakes with the fir tree branch, near a window lit by the bulbs and balls of the tree.
Romfilatelia wishes you
Happy Holidays!
