Finnish Christmas postage stamps: Santa Claus is comin’ to town.
The very first Finnish Christmas postage stamp appeared in 1973, and of course it featured Santa Claus on his way to kids. Or maybe calling him as Santa is wrong, as we Finns call him Joulupukki, which literally means means Yule Goat.
1973 Finland - Christmas postage stamp.
Though there are many similarities between Santa and Joulupukki, such as the red costume and christmas elves, there are many differences as well.
The finnish Joulupukki lives in mountains of Korvatunturi in Lapland with his wife. This legend comes from a 1927 children’s radio show called Markus-sedän lastentunti (”Children’s hour with Uncle Markus”) broadcast by The Finland’s National Broadcasting Corporation between years 1927 and 1956.
Traditionally Joulupukki has left the Korvatunturi by using a sleigh pulled by a reindeer; as displayed on stamp. And unlike Santa’s reindeers, Joulupukki’s reindeer doesn’t fly.
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