When Christmas celebrations focusing on children and family grew in popularity, romantic Christmas traditions came to the fore, particularly Christmas Eve customs. Going to church by horse and cart, bringing home and decorating the Christmas tree and close-up shots of oat sheaves with bull finches and titmice are recurring themes.

Christmas in the country is almost a whole genre in itself, with a prevalence of clichés from well-to-do farming communities: sleigh rides, Christmas parties and the romantic farming life. Food and drink are also well represented. The menus are something of a mixture, often showing a full spread of cakes, fruit, chocolate, meat dishes and desserts.

During the Prohibition (1917-26), Christmas gnomes were often used humoristically to convey a view of Norwegians’ alcohol habits.

Title: Christmas 2011 – Norway
Date of Issue: 11 November 2011
Country: Norway
Denominations:
A-domestic: Boy holding Christmas letter A-domestic: Girl holding Christmas present

Source: http://www.posten.no

In 1736 a degree in law from the university in Copenhagen was also made compulsory for all applicants for judicial office in Norway. In 1811, thanks to a successful campaign on the part of Count Herman Wedel-Jarlsberg, Norway was finally promised its own university.

King Fredrik VI withdrew his opposition. In 1813 Det Kongelige Fredriks Universitet opened its doors in Christiania, at that time a small provincial town in a country without a capital. Only a year later, Norway declared its independence and passed its own Constitution, but by the end of 1814, Norway had already lost some of that independence. The country was forced into a union with Sweden, but retained its own Constitution, Government and University.

The University played a key role in helping to secure political and cultural independence for Norway within the Union. It became the centre for national development. In addition to surveying and developing Norwegian culture, language and history, the University was involved in developing the infrastructure required by a modern society. The education, health and welfare, and administration authorities also found their expertise there. In 1939, the University changed its name to Universitetet i Oslo and was the only university in Norway until 1946.

Title: University of Oslo bicentenary
Date of Issue: 2 September 2011
Country: Norway
Denominations: Kr 9.00

Source: http://www.posten.no

The posthorn was no random choice of subject. The original hunting horn had become a symbol for postal services in many countries. In Europe it was introduced in the sixteenth century and in Norway in 1730. German-Norwegian architect Wilhelm von Hanno (1826-82) was commissioned to design the stamp for a fee of 15 speciedaler, about NOK 60. He was a man of many talents and was also known as the architect of the Oslo Military Society, Geographical Survey of Norway and Oslo Commercial Association buildings, Trinity Church and the Grønland Church, School and Fire Station complex. As a sculptor he created a number of beautiful burial monuments and as a drawing teacher he numbered Theodor Kittelsen among his pupils.

Since 1872 and the 3 skilling red, posthorn stamps have been issued in another two currency units. Øre stamps appeared in 1877 and krone stamps in 1991, and in 1997 øre stamps were issued with decimal figures. Paper suppliers, printers, printing methods and designers have changed many times over the years. The subject has also been adjusted, but it was not until 2001 that the stamps were given a real facelift, starting with the introduction of new posthorn stamps with krone denominations. Veteran designers Sverre Morken and Enzo Finger combined historic stamp design with modern, five-colour offset production and, using metallic gold on the crown and posthorn, silver under the wings and all the colours of the rainbow, created a stamp series that is both trendy and classic.

Title: Posthorn – Norway
Date of Issue: 15 November 2010
Country: Norway
Denominations: Kr 4,00, Kr 8,00, Kr 30,00

Source: www.posten.no

The technique of embroidering first appeared in medieval monasteries where the monks adorned their churches and
made priest’s robes. Gold embroidery was often used for resplendent bishop’s robes. In museums and cathedrals you
can see magnificent examples of church robes that make French haute couture look like working clothes!
During the Rococo period, flat embroidered decorative motifs could be seen on ladies’ evening dresses at the Palace
of Versailles. It was there the first flat flower motifs appeared on curtains, bed canopies and covers for chairs
and chaises longues.

In time, embroidered patterns also began to appear on folk costumes in Eastern Europe, on woollen blankets in England and on tablecloths and curtains in Scandinavia. The Oseberg Ship is Norway’s finest example of exquisite handicrafts from the Viking Age. One of the things found on it were remnants of silk embroidery. In Norway the art of embroidery reached its peak in the 18th century, probably as a result of education among young girls in the upper social classes. Embroidery on women and men’s clothes was fashionable then. A great deal of work also went into embroidering and edging bed linen and undergarments.

Title: Christmas 2010 – Norway
Date of Issue: 15 November 2010
Country: Norway
Denominations: A-Priority Domestic: Details from Grandma’s embroidered
Christmas tablecloth

Source: www.posten.no

The author takes us back to a Norway where having a phone installed was an adventure and where it was possible to load Grandma and eight children on to the back of a truck and drive up to the mountains. Since there are so many of them and they live so closely together, Maren,Martin, Marte, Mads, Mona, Milly, Mina and Morten are a little more inventive than most children – like the time when little Morten invites four pigs for coffee in the neighbouring farmhouse parlour!

The first of nine books about Lillebror and Knerten appeared in 1962. Knerten is possibly Anne-Cath. Vestly’s best-known character and many children have found a good friend in him. He is actually a tree root that looks like a little boy, but for Lillebror he is a boy. Knerten is Lillebror’s best friend, someone to confide in and share things with. Knerten is faithful and kind, but is very clear about what he wants. This leads to many an argument.

Anne-Cath. Vestly had made her debut in 1953 with Ole Aleksander Filibom-bom-bom, which was followed by books
about Aurora, about Guro, about Kaos, about Ellen Andrea and about Monrad. In these books she set the focus on current issues such as immigration, gender roles and solidarity and, in her positive story-telling way, also encouraged good attitudes in children. Norway’s stamps for this year’s Europa issue under the joint theme of Children’s books were illustrated by Anne-Cath. Vestly’s husband, Johan Vestly.

Title: Children’s books – Norway
Date of Issue: 15 November 2010
Country: Norway
Denominations:
A-Priority domestic: Grandma and the Eight Children
A-Priority Europe: Grandma and the Eight Children

Source: www.posten.no

After the grand opening it was back to the daily grind: insufficient technical equipment, short-staffing and thin budgets, but a lot of good television. The mainstay and in fact the most complicated production was Dagsrevyen, the evening news. It was broadcast live and varied between studio reports, telephone recordings, stills, video tapes and films, all sewn together by the news presenter behind a desk and the producer in the wings. Many things could go wrong and frequently did. “Sorry, technical error” became a familiar sight on the screen, but loyal viewers sat glued to their TV sets on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays when Dagsrevyen’s globe logo revolved on the screen to the sound of fanfare and drum beats.

A few years later we could watch Dagsrevyen every day, a film on Monday, entertainment on Wednesday, a detective series on Fridays, more entertainment on Saturday and eventually in 1972 (as the last country in Europe) we had colour TV. Before long it was possible to watch TV all day long. Then the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) lost its monopoly. Gradually at first, but the death blow fell in autumn 1992 when TV2 went on the air after winning a licence to operate a nation-wide advertisement-funded television channel. It is clear today that NRK has not been harmed by the competition, but is better and more professional than ever. Digital TV, on three channels!

Title: 50 Years of Television in Norway
Date of Issue: 20 August 2010
Country: Norway
Denominations: A innland

Source: www.posten.no