6th November 2026 Christmas stamps
Old Christmas Traditions.
Many people have straw Christmas decorations in their homes – a straw wreath on the front door, a straw goat on the doorstep, or small figures inside the house.
One of the most distinctive decorations is the Christmas crown, an indoor mobile made of straw. The art of making Christmas crowns is in danger of being forgotten today, but in recent years artists have revived the tradition. The straw squares on one of this year’s Christmas stamps come from a copy of an old Christmas crown.
A Christmas sheaf is a bundle of grain placed outside for the birds at Christmas. Unlike many other old rural Christmas traditions, this custom has survived to this day – both in towns and in the countryside. In the mid 19th century, the Christmas sheaf became part of the romantic Christmas imagery created by Norwegian artists, and Bullfinches in the Christmas sheaf have adorned thousands of Christmas cards for generations.
Facts
NK 2176-2177
Values and subjects: Norway small: Straw decorations and Bullfinch on window sill Norway small: Bullfinches in a Christmas sheaf
Design and illustrations: Borghild Telnes, Trude W. Gabrielsen (arr.)
Size: 22 x 36 mm
Issued in: Booklet of 10 stamps (5 of each motif)
Print: Offset from Joh. Enschedé Security Print
Print run: 530,000