The Wooden Pauper in Soini, Finland

The stamps on this cover from Helsinki are from a 2016 booklet of six that commemorate wooden paupers and the churches that maintain them. Wooden paupers are carved wooden statues containing a collection box for collecting donations for the less fortunate. They were commonly seen outside Lutheran churches in Finland between the 17th and 19th centuries. Of the 145 surviving statues, only the one at the church in Soini is a woman and it's shown on the stamp on the left.

Floral Greetings from Finland

The flowers on this year's floral greetings stamps from Finland's Posti are roses and malva flowers, on the left and right on this cover respectively. Way too early for flowers to bloom here right now. Helsinki too I imagine. But these stamps give those of us who have had to put up with a cold and snowy winter something to look forward to. 

Finland's Elias Lönnrot

The souvenir sheet issued in 2002 on this cover from Helsinki commemorates the 200th birth anniversary of Finnish polymath Elias Lönnrot. He is known for authoring the botanical text Flora Fennica in 1860 and Kalavela in 1835: a Finnish national epic featuring a collection of ballads and poems that helped shape Finnish national identity.  The stamp on the left from 2005 commemorates veterans of the Second World War.

National Landscapes, Finland

The stamps on this cover postmarked in Helsinki are from a 2025 set featuring landscape scenes of Finland. The stamp on the right is the hydroelectic dam on the Vuoksi river in Imatra. And on the left is  Helsinki from its south waterfront with the SkyWheel on the right and the cathedral in the distance.

Forest Hike in Finland

From Pori, Finland. The "Forest Hike" booklet stamps from 2019 feature photos of children in a forest with puppies. The images were composed to highlight the friendship that exists between children and animals.

International Polar Year, Finland

In 2007 the postal administrations a few countries with Arctic interests participated in a joint issue of stamps that recognized the International Polar Year. This souvenir sheet from Finland features a foil snowflake that shimmers. The stamps on the left are from a 2007 set called "Memories of Finland".

Lempäälä, Finland

On this cover from Lempäälä is a self-adhesive stamp sheet from 2012 with four stamps commemorating Sámi culture in Finland. The Sámi are the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia. This shape of this stamp sheet is the same as the footprint of the Sámi Cultural Centre that opened in Inari, Finland on January 9, 2012.

Flowers from Finland

I know spring is coming when I start to get covers with flower stamps in my mailbox. Although it has felt like spring here off and on for the past couple of months. We barely had a winter.

Sauna Culture in Finland

On this cover from Finland are a pair of 2009 stamps from a booklet of stamps featuring sauna imagery. The Finish sauna has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. According to the Finnish Sauna Society there may be as many as 3.2 million saunas in Finland.

Finland in NATO and Finnair

On the left is a stamp from celebrating Finland's NATO membership. The stamp was issued on September 9th which was the 350th anniversary of Finnish postal service Posti. And on the right is a stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of Finnish airline Finnair on November 1st.

Peace in Finland

A pair of Europa 2023 "Peace - the highest value of humanity" stamps from Finland. Double postmarked:  in Pori and again with a rolled or sprayed postmark in Helsinki. 

Merry Christmas from Finland

Christmas stamps from Finland featuring gingerbread coming to life. With nice Christmas postmarks from Helsinki.

Finland, Stories and Myths

From Alavus, Finland. Europa stamps from 2022 featuring Päivätär and Kuutar: goddesses of the sun and moon form Finnish mythology. Sun goddess Päivätär on the right and moon goddess Kuutar on the left.

Northern Lights in Finland

The stamp on the left is the 2017 Europa "castles" issue.  And on the right is the Northern Lights stamp from 2021.

 

Art Classics from Finland

Recent stamp issue from Finland featuring classic Finnish paintings. From left to right: "Skaters Near the Shore of Kallela" by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, "Echo" by Ellen Thesleff and "Sheep Girl" by Hugo Simberg.

Napapiiri: the Arctic Circle, Finland

Christmas in Finland. Postmarked at the Santa Claus village post office just outside Rovaniemi, Finland.

Santa Claus postmark, Finland

It's not easy to make out, but the postmark on the right side of the envelope is from Napapiiri: the Arctic Circle. I believe this comes from the Santa Claus Village outside of Rovaniemi, Finland, which is just a few kms south of the Arctic circle. At the top of the postmark you can see Santa Claus in his hat, peeking out over the date. And in the wavy lines to the left you can see a reindeer. It's not very clear but it's there. The round postmark on the left is a Helsinki postmark applied a day after the Santa Claus postmark.

Jämsä, Finland

Alavus, Finland

Alavus, Finland