Stamp Requests

I read that yesterday was Vyshyvanka Day in Ukraine, a day to celebrate Ukrainian culture and keep traditions alive. Vyshyvanka is the name of traditional Ukrainian shirts, with very beautiful embroidered patterns on them. Similar patterns are seen in other parts of Eastern Europe as well. The stamp could be a man or woman wearing a vyshyvanka, or just the pattern by itself for example. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyshyvanka_Day

This is one of the oldest Belarusian traditions. It is celebrating in the end of March. The stork is the key figure of this holiday. The place where the "gukanne" passes is always visible from afar. Everything around (trees, stones, etc.) is decorated with multi-colored ribbons, bright birds cut out of cardboard, made of colored threads, fabrics and any other material . Special attention is paid to birds baked from dough. Feathers made of bread are laid out in the area so that they attract birds that bring spring on their wings. Ancestors of Belarusians always hung multi-colored home-made birds as high as possible, it was believed that birds flying south would notice them sooner. Thus decorated the trees in the garden, houses, outbuildings. It was believed that if the birds choose someone's house, then there will be happiness and prosperity. In addition, bright ribbons on the trees indicated flowering. People thought that the trees would become infected with the fun and brightness of the ribbon and open their buds sooner. The whole village usually participated in the ritual: they danced, played and laughed to show how good it would be here in spring. In some regions of Belarus, it was customary to climb roofs and trees so that the birds would see them sooner. In some areas, a place on a high hill or shore was chosen for the holiday. The peculiarity of this bright folk holiday has always been and remains to this day an extraordinary naturalness and liveliness. This ceremony does not have a clear plan of action, the main thing is to have fun, sing and enjoy life. My suggestion is to add a bird, the symbol of this holiday, to the stamp dedicated to special days of different countries of the world

The Forget-Me-Not flower is a symbol that commemorates all of the 1.5 million lives lost as well as survivors of the Armenian Genocide. It honors our heritage, history, ancestors, and everyone affected in the past and those who still continue to be affected through transgenerational trauma from the massive open wound since 1915. Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is on April 24th. Resources and Information about the Armenian Genocide: 1) https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-armenian-genocide-1915-16-overview 2) https://blog.acton.org/archives/77814-who-after-all-speaks-today-of-the-annihilation-of-the-armenians.html 3) https://www.genocidewatch.com/search-results-page/armenia 4) https://www.britannica.com/event/Armenian-Genocide/Genocide The images below are not my own, but ideas of what the stamp could look like, and demonstrates what the Forget-Me-Not flower emblems looks like. Links to the original artists and creators: 1) http://www.stsarkis.org/armenian-genocide-centennial.html 2) https://41.media.tumblr.com/d201765f612183ab3ff9adee9c44738e/tumblr_nlvfsnHjTL1rnmeg2o1_500.jpg 3) https://www.zazzle.com/forget_me_not_flower_and_the_flag_round_button-145879793667763678?social=true&rf=238935197619950571 4) https://www.deviantart.com/hyehd/art/april-24-1915-the-armenian-genocide-PSD-File-552176177

Since we celebrate Folklore Day on August 22, it would be nice to have a special stamp to symbolize it. There are many creatures that represent our folklore, including Saci, Boitatá, Curupira, Caipora, Cuca, Boto Cor-de-rosa, Boi-Bumbá and Mula Sem Cabeça.

On December 13th, Forró Day is celebrated in Brazil. Luiz Gonzaga is considered the King of Baião (Baião is a variety of forró) and is a very iconic figure for Brazilian culture.

Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community. It is a celebration to thank the Sun, Mother Nature and the various farm animals that help to contribute to a bountiful harvest. Celebrated over four days, Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai, which is considered an auspicious month. It usually falls on the 14th or 15th of January each year. Pongal is also the name of the dish made and eaten during this festival. It is a mixture of boiled sweet rice. It is derived from the Tamil word pongu, which means “to boil over”. The first day of Pongal is called Bhogi. It is a day where cleaning and discarding of old belongings are carried out to signify a fresh start. New clothes are worn, houses are decorated in the spirit of the festivity. The second day is the main day of Pongal and is celebrated as Surya Pongal. On this day, the Sun God is honoured. Colourful decorative floor patterns called kolam are drawn at the entrance of one’s home, and each household cooks a pot of fresh rice with milk at auspicious timings. As the milk boils freely over the pot, family members shout out happily “Pongalo Pongal”! After the Pongal is offered to the Sun God, they would feast on several Pongal dishes that are prepared especially for the day. The third day of Pongal is called Maatu Pongal. This day is devoted to honour and worship the cattle (Maatu) to remember the work they do – ploughing the land. Cows are bathed and adorned with multi-coloured beads, flowers garlands, and bells. In Singapore, thanksgiving prayers would be conducted for the cattle at some dairy farms owned by Indians. The fourth day of Pongal is called Kaanum Pongal. On this day, importance is given to the community and to strengthen ties. Families gather together to have a sumptuous meal. Younger members seek the blessings of the older members of their families. It is also a day for traditional Indian folk dances such as mayilattam and kolattam. Pongal is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Tamil people in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, Singapore, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the Gulf countries https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2022/01/14/pongal-celebration-and-its-significance/

Since Christmas is just around the corner, I think it’d be cool for the Philippines to have an exclusive regional-based stamp for Christmas as the Philippines spends the longest Christmas celebration ever, starting from the beginning of BER months until the first week of January. (Source: https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/4-months-of-Christmas-in-the-Philippines ) Christmas Parols are a huge part of our tradition, and so it’d be nice to have a stamp about it. They look similar to this in real life ( https://www.google.com/search?q=parol+&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiAja-Hubn0AhUALDQIHauODpoQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=parol+&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQAzIKCAAQsQMQgwEQQzIECAAQQzIFCAAQgAQyCwgAEIAEELEDEIMBMgUIABCABFD7BFjACmCYDWgAcAB4AIABWogBoQSSAQE4mAEAoAEBwAEB&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=k52iYcD3HYDY0PEPq5260Ak&bih=715&biw=414&client=safari&prmd=sivxn&hl=en-us#imgrc=MFeVmddynjPtjM ) And I also found some art online which could be use as an inspiration: https://www.google.com/search?q=christmas+parol+art&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjT7_-tubn0AhU2FzQIHQ0PCfIQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=christmas+parol+art&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQAzIFCAAQzQI6BQgAEIAEOgUIIRCrAjoECAAQQzoECAAQGFDHBFiiF2DKGWgAcAB4AIABWogB_gWSAQIxMZgBAKABAcABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=5J2iYdPtHrau0PEPjZ6kkA8&bih=715&biw=414&client=safari&prmd=sivxn&hl=en-us#imgrc=xnBG3XEW1WUl3M https://www.google.com/search?q=christmas+parol+art&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjT7_-tubn0AhU2FzQIHQ0PCfIQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=christmas+parol+art&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQAzIFCAAQzQI6BQgAEIAEOgUIIRCrAjoECAAQQzoECAAQGFDHBFiiF2DKGWgAcAB4AIABWogB_gWSAQIxMZgBAKABAcABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=5J2iYdPtHrau0PEPjZ6kkA8&bih=715&biw=414&client=safari&prmd=sivxn&hl=en-us#imgrc=xnBG3XEW1WUl3M&imgdii=Z528euPjaT9QOM https://www.google.com/search?q=christmas+parol+art&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjT7_-tubn0AhU2FzQIHQ0PCfIQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=christmas+parol+art&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQAzIFCAAQzQI6BQgAEIAEOgUIIRCrAjoECAAQQzoECAAQGFDHBFiiF2DKGWgAcAB4AIABWogB_gWSAQIxMZgBAKABAcABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=5J2iYdPtHrau0PEPjZ6kkA8&bih=715&biw=414&client=safari&prmd=sivxn&hl=en-us#imgrc=GEX1Ke-EI3cgnM

It's a big event in UK where they set up bonfire and fireworks in a open area. Cold yet warm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonfire_Night https://www.google.com/search?q=UK+bonfire+night+pictures&sxsrf=AOaemvKEl0oOLSJjfLDNR5uNwd8swEyYkA%3A1632963334083&ei=BgtVYdi6BIrX0ASPybqYAQ&ved=0ahUKEwjY1dW7vqXzAhWKK5QKHY-kDhMQ4dUDCA4&uact=5&oq=UK+bonfire+night+pictures&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAM6BwgjELADECc6CQgAELADEAcQHjoICAAQsAMQywE6BwgAELADEB46BQgAEMsBOgQIABAeOgYIABAFEB46BggAEAgQHjoFCCEQoAE6BwghEAoQoAFKBAhBGAFQtDRY_kdg4khoAXAAeACAAWGIAYkHkgECMTWYAQCgAQHIAQrAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz

Saint Martin is a holiday in honor of Saint Martin (Maarten). He is known as the Holy Bishop of Tours in France, yet he is now best known for his act of mercy well before he became a bishop. As a Roman soldier he shared his soldier's cloak with a beggar. Sint Maarten is celebrated in (parts of) the Netherlands, Belgium, Northern France and in parts of Germany. Each region has its own customs. It is a tradition that children go door to door with lanterns and sing songs, after which they are rewarded with sweets. Other traditions include lighting bonfires and organizing parades. The party seems to be growing in popularity in recent years. In Amsterdam, for example, the party had not been celebrated for hundreds of years, until it suddenly appeared in the suburbs. At the beginning of this century, the first lanterns appeared on the canals again and the 'St. Maarten' walk is once again a living tradition in Amsterdam. Another legend is about the lights: The mount of Sint Maarten would have run away in the evening. Helpful villagers then went to search for the animal with lights. That is why the children still go door-to-door with lights. Songs about Saint Martin The oldest surviving children's song dates from the early seventeenth century. In 'Den christelicken hvys-hovder' (a Catholic instruction booklet with questions and answers) by Joannes David the following song is mentioned: Stoockt vier, maeckt vier: Sinte Marten komt hier Met syne bloote armen Hij soude hem gheerne warmen? A modern Sint Maarten song in The Netherlands: Sinte Sinte Maarten; De koeien dragen staarten; De koeien dragen horens; De kerken dragen torens; De torens dragen klokken; De meisjes dragen rokken; De jongens dragen broeken; Oude wijven die veel kijven dragen schorteldoeken.

In Buddhism, the light of a lantern represents the moving away from darkness into a brighter future. And in northern Thai culture, making lanterns or donating them to the local wat (temple) is a way for Buddhists to make merit. Making lanterns is traditionally carried out at the time of Yi Peng to mark the end of the rainy season. During the Yi Peng Lantern Festival, colourful lanterns are hung outside homes and temples. Sky lanterns are also released during Yi Peng to pay respect to Buddha and as a way for people to symbolically let go of bad memories and make a wish for good luck. https://yipengchiangmailanternfestival.com/