Happy New Year

I was wondering if there are any Advent-specific stamps out there. It ocurred to me that the topic of Advent might provide an interesting collection topic. Here are some advent-ish stamps from Great Britain from last year.

Hi smauggie

I'm just wondering why you called the topic, Happy New Year, when
Advent ends on Christmas Eve, December 24th?

For many Christians, the beginning of the Advent season signals the beginning of a new year. This new year does not cancel out or deny the New Year which falls on Jan 1 on our calendars. It is a religious new year.

Maybe rod422 has a stamp with advent candles?

Probably not what you're looking for on this topic, but as an interesting side note I found that Austria refers to their two types of "holiday" stamps as Christmas Stamps and Advent Stamps:

http://philatelynews.com/2010/austr...010-austria/

That is interesting, thanks for sharing wt1. It is interesting that Advent and Christmas are often combined, even though, as lithograving pointed out, Advent ends when Christmas begins.

I find this a very interesting thread,
I have just joined an advent study group
at a local church so I could investigate
the meaning and iconography of advent.

I have a real problem with modern US style evangelism
of Aussie churches and am a break away "protestant"
heathen of old Henry's.

So far I see a blending of the old "second coming"
celebration, and modern "welcoming and onset of the
christmas period" at the one I have attended.
We have used the traditional 4 "royal purple" and rose
candles together with the wreath.

Searching my database, "advent" had nil success,
candles had just 14, but I am sure I have more,

The closest I could get to an traditional advent
theme was this one from Germany.

Rod chimes in. :o)
Yes, the wreath and candles is similar to the advent wreath. The term Weihnachtsmarke suggests an English transliteration of "Christmas Tax" or "Christmas Mark/Money".

Images of the oldest Anglican church in Panama,
Christ Church by the Sea

http://coloncity.com/christchurch.html

It is still an active parish, in the most dangerous city in the world--Colon, Panama.

Weihnachtsmarke translates as Christmasstamp, nothing to do with tax in this case.

Why is Colon so dangerous. I would have thought it might be Juarez, or maybe Baghdad.

Some interesting U.S. "custom" postage designs:

http://www.zazzle.com/advent+stamps

Ciudad Juarez might now be the most dangerous city in the world, especially if you are a woman.
Colon has two jarringly different aspects that make it dangerous. Colon has a Free Zone which attracts wealthy tourists. Colon has also been for over 100 years, the home of the poorest Panamanians. In the center of the oldest part of the city are the desperately poor. Thievery is unknown there. If they want what you have they just kill you.

_______________________

The soap opera General Hospital killed off a character by sending the character to Colon.

We went from advent to murder in how many posts ? I have seen stranger threads...on the world news last night it said Mogadishu was the most dangerous city ?????

Let's just say I am easily distracted.

In response to Rod's research into images and iconography of Advent, my own experience there is very limited Advent imagery because a big part of Advent is facing up to the unkown, the mysterious and a sense of expectation of something to come. The deep purple used for most of advent has always been a symbol to me of mystery. The rose color of Gaudete Sunday is the blush of joy in expectation of what is to come.

You might say I am more a friend of Thomas More, Saint. :o)