Saturday, February 26, 2011

Holiday Mail From Russia



I recently received this pretty envelope from Russia. The envelope has a printed design of the Russian version of Santa Claus, Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), driving a troika through the snow. A troika is a sleigh pulled by a team of three horses harnessed abreast.

There is a nice assortment of Russian postage stamps on the envelope:

• top left - 2003, Gatchina Palace, an imperial residence built in 1766-1781
• center - 2009, Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), first Astronaut in the world
• top right - 2010, Happy New Year with Ded Moroz (Russian Santa Claus)
• bottom left - 2008, definitive stamp, fox
• bottom right - 2008, definitive stamp, hare

Below is one of the postcards sent in the envelope. This is a New Year postcard showing Snegurochka (Snow Maiden), Ded Moroz's helper. Snegurochka, the little bird (bullfinch), and the hare are often seen on Russian New Year cards.




I am participating in Sunday Stamps at Viridian's Postcard Blog




5 comments:

  1. I have a similar Yuri Gagarin stamp that I received from Russian recently. Wonderful envelope and postcard too. Must be a set, I reckon. Have a happy Sunday!


    Postcards Crossing: Sunday Stamp 006: Customized Stamp

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  2. What a beautiful envelope, love the white horses. Nicely themed stamps as well.

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  3. Gagarin stamp dated 2009 - this must be 50 years after he first flew.

    I liked to fox and hare; not too sure about the bullfinch though.

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  4. I've received the fox stamp too from Russia, but not such a beautiful envelope. thank you for participating.

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