Valentine's Day 20.1.2017

The Valentine's Day stamps chosen through a competition were published on January 20. The blue hearts by designer Ari Kivi are ideal for the jubilee year.  

Happy Valentine's Day to All My Friends.

Thank you Ella for this nice FDC.

Valentine's Day stamps depict six encounters in the forest 19.1.2015

In Finland, Valentine's Day is the second most popular postcard season immediately after Christmas.  This year's Valentine's Day stamps have as their theme joyful encounters in the forest. Ilja Karsikas' cheerfully designed stamps depict snowflakes, trees, a mouse, birds, berries, and a fox and a rabbit.

The Friends together stamp booklet has six 1st class stamps as well as Priority labels designed to go with each of the stamps. Designing his first stamps, Ilja Karsikas, 35, has made many illustrations for companies, publications, associations, publishers and record labels. He has been responsible for, among other things, Ruisrock's visual appearance and artwork in 2013 and 2014, and has also illustrated four children's books.

Thank you Dear Ella.

Valentine's Day 20.1.2014

Valentine's Day stamps were also released on 20^th January, depicting teddy bears. The Bear Friends mini sheet (on the displayed FDC) consisting of six 1^st class stamps illustrate endearing teddy bears around the themes of friendship and remembrance. Henna Takkinen, a graphic artist from Kemi, who designed her first ever stamps, knows the theme thoroughly; after all, she describes herself as a teddy bear artist. Through the stamps, Takkinen wishes to convey the ideas of universal peace, love and caring. 

“Teddy bears have taken me on an endless adventure, everything is possible in their world. I want to share through art a teddy bear world of universal peace and love. Through stamps that message of caring and friendship can be shared with the world,” says Henna Takkinen, describing her artistic vision.

The layout of the Bear Friends stamp is designed by Markku Kyröläinen, also from Kemi.

Teddy bears are a passion around the world. Not just of children but, of adults as well. A friend of mine in Finland is absolutely passionate about them, and has a huge collection of teddy bears. 

Thank you Ella for this lovely FDC.

Valentine's Day 21.1.2013

Sweets are an essential part of St. Valentine’s Day all over the world. Designer Sini Henttonen’s St. Valentine's Day stamps feature playful landscapes composed of sweets. The Sweet St. Valentine’s Day booklet contains six 1st class stamps and four stickers for brightening up letters and cards with.“The oval form and bright colors emphasize the candy-like, playful nature of the stamps,” explains Ms. Henttonen, who will receive her MFA from the Finnish Aalto University in the spring.

Thank you Dear Ella for this lovely FDC with the impressive minisheet of six stamps and the cute maxicard issued by Finland this year on Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day 23.1.2012

Today is Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is a holiday observed on February 14 honouring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI. The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Valentine's Day is mentioned ruefully by Ophelia in Hamlet (1600–1601):

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.

—William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5

Ella sent the lovely First Day Cover and the booklet shown here. They were issued on 23^rd January 2012. The Finns celebrate this day as “The Friendship Day”. Six symbols for friendship. This year's Valentine's Day stamps are designed by Päivi Unenge, a Finnish illustrator living in Sweden. The miniature booklet called I Heart You! contains six self-adhesive stamps and motifs including little girls, birds, pets, and, naturally, hearts.

The heart symbolizes friendship – be it between friends or lovers. Friendship is vital, and friends carry all joys and sorrows. “I hope that these cheerful and colorful stamps bring joy to people in the middle of the darkest winter”, says artist Päivi Unenge.

Happy Valentine's Day 9.2.2010

Finland is celebrating this year's Valentine's Day or "Ystävänpäivä" or Friendship Day as they like to call it by issueing these delightfully beautiful maxim cards, miniature sheet of five stamps and a First Day Cover. The postmarks are equally stunning. You just can't help but, have a wonderful day after be-holding these beauties. 

These lovely gems were sent to me by My Dear Friend Ella.