Hello, tonight I am showing a British Christmas cover from 1973. A rather attractive set of Christmas stamps I think.

Issued some years ago now and maybe that says something for the way stamp design has changed over the years. Sadly the top right hand corner of the cover is creased..    anyway it is still worth collecting I think,  and it will go to the first person who answers the two questions below and sends me their mailing address to cddstamps@gmail.com.

 

The theme as you can see is Good King Wenceslas. But how many really know about the king or the Christmas Carol.

 

The research might be interesting if you don’t know the answers straight away.  There are two questions I have tonight .. in the text below…………

 

1)      Who wrote the words to the carol "Good King Wenceslas"

They were published in 1853.  The music originated in Finland 300 years earlier. This Christmas carol is unusual as there is no reference in the lyrics to the nativity.

2)      Good King Wenceslas was around in the 10th century, so we are told;  but where was he King of  ??

Good King Wenceslas was a Catholic and was martyred following his assassination by his brother Boleslaw and his supporters, his Saint's Day is September 28th, and he is the Patron Saint of the Czech Republic. St. Stephen's feast day was celebrated on 26th December which is why this song is sung as a Christmascarol.

 

No doubt some of you can shed more light on this interesting legend.

 

Hope you all had, or are having, a wonderful weekend and have had a good time Christmas shopping if that is something you did this weekend..  .  Best wishes…Michael