Canada 2 Stamps #477 & #503 5¢ MNH Christmas and 50 similar items

Canada ? Stamp #477 503 5 MNH Christmas Singing Children Faces 1967 69 =c=c=c=c=c= In making special Christmas stamps available for the prepayment of postage during the festive season the Canada Post office follows a practice established as an annual tradition in 1964. The 1969 issues, first Canadian Christmas stamps produced in full colour, provide recognition of the multi-racial structure of nation's population. The wondrous spirit of Christmas is exemplified in the upraised faces of children of several racial origins, eyes agleam with a brilliant light reflecting the mystic beauty and solemnity of the season. An enrichment of Canada's national life through it's multi-racial nature is rarely more evident that at Christmas when time honoured customs blend in the harmonious joy of the season. The uplifting spirit of Christmas, superficially obscured by an ever increasing commercialism, remains as an inner human personification of the traditional "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all Men", a period in which even hard-pressed and harassed retail sales staffs exude a particular warmth and friendliness. Even as the formulation of a design for Canada's 1969 Christmas stamps was being pursued some two years in advance, Christmas cards for the same year were being developed by about one hundred manufacturers. According to recent estimates, Canadians annually purchase between 400 and 500 million yuletide cards to convey greetings to friends and loved ones, thus creating a delivery requirement of immense proportions. Addtional millions of parcels and letters serve to create a peak seasonal volume of mail requiring the employment of many thousands of addtional workers. It is generally accepted that in 1843 J.C. Horsley, of London, England, designed the first Christmas card; the greeting, one thousand of which were printed, was a stiff card lithographed in sepia tones and hand coloured with dimensions slightly in excess of 5" x 3". The concept of Christmas charity was represented on inside panels of the folding card to convey the traditonal thought of remembering those less fortunate than ourselves. The principal illustration, a family party above the words "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You" remains, in varied forms, the basic approach on many greeting cards to this day. Myriad lights illuminating Canadian homes and public buildings provide a heart warming glow during a season of short days and extended hours of darkness. The nation's forests annually provide millions of evergreens for the traditional Christmas trees, erected within and without, on which sparkle additional millions of lights to the delight of untold thousands of children. A festival in which the role of the child is of paramount significance, Christmas has it's greatest and most beautiful expression in the family circle. =d=d=d=d=d=d=d Familiar sights and sounds of a traditional Christmas are brought to mind by the design chosen for Canada's Centennial year Christmas stamps in denominations of 5 and 3. The artist has picture a scene wherein carols and Christmas music are sung by the happy voices of children, all three of whom are suitably clothed for a season when a large part of Canada is under a blanket of snow. The snow-laden evergreen conjures a vision of the traditional yule tree, and towering in the distance is the nation's Peace Tower, a dominant part of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. The association of children with the Peace Tower, itself a symbol of Canada's aspirations, vividly recalls the country's greatest children's party held in the shadow of the Parliament Buildings on our nation's 100th Birthday, July 1st 1967. The singing of carols at Christmas is common to both of Canada's recognized founding cultures. These songs, part of a religious tradition, have, through the years, been supplemented by joyful secular songs appropriate to the season. Music, mankind's traditonal medium for the expression of his emotions, has a particular appeal in the joyful celebration of Christmas. The widespread custom of exchanging greetings and gifts is carried out against a background of seasonal music, nowadays extended to embrace a period of weeks prior to the focal point of the observance. Christmas retains its character as a season of goodwill; a time for children, for loved ones, near and far, and for consideration of those less fortunate that ourselves. The year 1967 is the fourth consecutive occasion of which special stamps have been prepared by the Canada Post Office for use on Christmas mailings. Their release in October is planned to permit use on early overseas mailings. Multiple items- additional items are shipped without any extra cost Items are shipped using Canada Post without tracking to keep costs low. This is the most economical option. Canada Post is incredibly reliable, but can be slow. Although not common, it can take up to 2 1/2 weeks for a maill to reach a U.S.destination and 4 to 5 weeks for an international address. If you require tracking or a faster delivery please message before ordering. If you are looking a multiple purchases, please message us. Although PHILATELISTs appreciate these Postage Stamps, Crafty people can utilize these unused, vintage postage stamps to enhance a journal, scrapbook, stationary, envelope, or other papercraft project.