24 December 2011

Estonia. 1959

Estonian New Year card.
Postcard, 1959.
My collection.

* The Russian-led USSR occupied and ruled Estonia from 1940 to 1991. The Soviet government forbade religious holidays and tried to persuade the Estonian people to transfer their Christmas festivities to New Year’s Day, a secular holiday. Christmas was not celebrated openly but discreetly.

2 comments:

  1. Before Christianity, however, Christmas had been in several cultures the celebration of the beginning of winter (the period of the shortest days in the year).
    In fact, the typical "red colour" of Christmas is probably deriving from Finno-Ugric culture: il is the colour of the winter sun in the Polar Circle. Santa Claus also comes from Rovaniemi.
    Hüvvä Joulu!
    Rõõmsaid Jõule!
    Hyvää Joulua!
    Buon Natale!

    ReplyDelete