It's time to send LOVE

Love this cute postcard from Tatiano of Moscow. 

Thank you. 

Just a friendly reminder to all readers, 

now is the season to send "heart" to your loved one.  

Creativity of Kolam - 2015

Hinduism will celebrating Deepavali (Diwali / The Festival of Lights) in November in Malaysia. This year, the Deepavali fall on Nov 10. People in different regions in India may celebrate Diwali on various dates due to different ways in interpretation of traditional lunar calendars. For example, Deepavali in Tamil Nadu is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aipasi. 

Those photos was captured from entrance place of shopping mall (Suria KLCC) and LRT station. The decorative designs of 'kolam' which are decorated out of coloured rice or beans into fascinating patterns of flowers. 

Mandalas types of Kolam

Indian ladies was so joyful in making the kolam. 

Wishing you a Happy Deepavali for those who are celebrating. 

Kolam - Year 2008
Kolam - Year 2009

2015 Chinese Zodiac

I received a very nice & warmth postcard from Motoko. 

She lives in Kanazawa , Japan. 

 The postcard is made of a layer of think white felt embossed at the background

2015 is a year of Goat (or Sheep / Ram), is a year of Wooden Goat in precise. The "Wood Goat" is according to Chinese Five Element (Earthly Branch) Theory. 

A "Wood Goat" year occurs every 60 years. 

Moonmin Christmas Postcard

How Merry Christmas is said around the world

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees

Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees

African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Seng Tan Fivelor
Chinese: (Mandarin) Sheng Dan Kuai Ler
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!


* Source here. I have make amendment on the pronunciation of Chinese & Chinese (Cantonese) here.

Christmas Postcard from Germany

Janina from Germany so kind to send me a Christmas postcard.

She is Malaysian-Chinese living in Germany. How cool was that !

Thank you !

Wish all of you a Merry Christmas !

Christmas Postcard from Slovenia

Petra send the Christmas postcard from Ljubljana, capital city of Slovenia.

Christmas Postcard

(Always impress with China's beautiful stamps )

I've received from YangFan, Beijing for this Christmas postcard.

Ho ho ho ...

My colleagues organise a Christmas Exchange Party in office today.
Can't wait for the fun.

Post from Christkind

Last month, I was sending postcard to Petra Krista (via postcrossing),Engelskirchen of Germany. In her profile , she wrote that

" In our hometown Engelskirchen (church of angels), we have one of the special christmas offices in Germany, in x-mas time you can write your christmas wishes to our x-mas-Child (looks like an angel):

* Christkind, DE-51777 Engelskirchen

and your letter and wishes will be answered. Last year we had round about 100.000 letters from children and adults from all over the world.

Perhaps you like to try it ? "

YES. I tried to send one. And about 1 month later, I've received the reply from Angel.



The German post office on the occasion of the Christmas angel city based on 5 December 2009.

I've received the postcard (WHoaa, not 1 but 4 in one row).

(love them all)

(In German lore, the Christkind, or Christmas Angel leaves presents under the tree on Christmas Eve.)

and letter

Oops... The letter was in Germany language. (Can someone help ?)

(Edited : Thank you to Christine H. from The Daily Postcard help me in translate this sweet letter. Thank you thank you. )

Dear earth child,

It’s almost that time again: the sky is getting dark and everywhere around the world glittering dust clouds decorate the sky for a brief moment. Do you know what I mean? Yes, exactly, Christmas Eve. Followed by my angels I hover about and bring gifts to all dear children.
Before that I always have much to do in my office in Engelkirchen. Actually, I live there the whole year with my busy little angels in the heavenly workshop. But at Christmastime, we come down to earth in order to answer all of your beautifully designed letters that the nice postman brings me every day.
Wish lists from all over the world arrive this way. There are so many that I require the assistance of many little angels and postal workers to make sure I can answer them before Christmas Eve.
Surrounded by the fragrance of freshly baked Christmas cookies and beautifully decorated Christmas trees, we sit down and read the letters. Every now and then we nibble on delicious Cinnamon stars and bite into red candied apples. Finally, in soft candlelight we affix the stamps and mark them with our signature cancellation.
Maybe you have noticed the lucky magic cloud that escaped from this letter. I enclosed it just for you. It will protect you and up above it will help make your wishes come true.
Dear earth child, I wish you and your family a happy and magical Christmas with lots of presents and especially tasty treats. I’m already looking forward to your letter next year.

Yours,

Christchild

Happy PFF !

Tags: Engelskirchen | Christkind | Christmas Angel | Christmas Postcard

Happy Halloween

Tags: Halloween Postcard

Creativity of Kolam - 2009

Still remember my last year post about 'KOLAM' , the rice decoration. The Kolam is a common feature during 'The Festival of Lights', adorning the entrance of Hindu homes. This intricate decoration made from coloured rice is used to invoke the blessings of The Goddess of Wealth, the deity Lakshmi.

The peacock's kolam is displayed in KLCC at Suria shopping centre.


****************************************

This year, Pavilion is hosting an 'International Kolam Festival' in line with this year's Deepavali celebration.


(photo credit : thestar.com.my)


ABOUT 200 students of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) spend completed three large kolams.

staircase !!

Tags: Kolam | Kolam KLCC | Kolam Pavilion | Rice decoration

Hungry Ghost Festival

(Picture courtesy borrow from VisitPenang)



Like Halloween in America, Chinese of Malaysia celebrate the ‘Hungry Ghost festival’.

The Ghost Festival is celebrated during the 7th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar.The Chinese believes that on the 7th Lunar month the Gates of Hell will open and the hungry ghosts will be free to roam in the living world for a month. This is the time when the Chinese remember their dead family members and pay tribute to them. Offering food to the deceased to appease them and wards off bad luck.

It is a common sight to see Chinese Opera and Puppet shows performed on outdoor stages in some neighborhoods to entertain the ghost. These events are always held at night. There is a belief that this entertainment would please those wandering ghosts.


You may read here the list of locations for the Chinese Opera or Phor Thor and Puppet shows in Penang island.

Colours of Malaysia

This blank advertising postcard was send to me by JieXi. 

Beside this , she send me fabulous map of Penang , which is one of UNESCO site of Malaysia. 

Thank you for the angel package. 

Handmade Postcard for Merry Christmas

Tags: Christmas | Merry Christmas | Handmade Postcard

Santa Claus is coming to TOWN

Santa Claus as we know him today first emerged when the Dutch settlers came to Manhattan on Christmas day 1624. In Holland, Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) wore a red robe while riding a white horse, and cared a bag of gifts to fill the children's stockings.

This is a very early Nast drawing of Santa Claus created in 1865.

There is several illustrations appeared in Harper's Weekly newspapers in the years 1863 -1865.

Does Santa Claus really have an address? Who are we trying to kid? Christmas Carnivals is here with Santa Claus address.

And Santa's address is:

Santa has 2 addresses. You can write to either address

North Polar - Santa Claus
P.O. Box 56799 North Pole, Alaska 99705-1799

North Polar - Santa Claus
P.O. Box 56099
North Pole, Alaska 99705-1099


FAQ.

Tags: Christmas | Santa Claus | Sinterklaas |

Cayman ~ Pirates Week Festival

(The image courtesy borrowed from piratesweekfestival.com)

Pirate Week is the national Festival of the Cayman Island.

November 6 - 16, 2008

The Cayman Islands have a colourful seafaring past which is celebrated with pride during this national event. Prepare yourself for days and nights of pirate parades, costume contests, music, fireworks, sports competitions and craft fairs. Don't miss the week's kick-off - a mock pirate landing by bands of rowdy pirates who arrest the Governor in George Town Harbour, followed by a float parade of colouful costumes and local steel drum bands. In the evening the roads are closed in George Town as the whole Island parties the night away, dancing under the stars to locals and guest bands, and enjoying the local food on offer.

See Pirates Week official website here.

Festival Celebration Nov : Japan ~ Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu

Feudal Lord's Procession in Hakone

An annual tourist event held on Culture Day (a national holiday), November 3rd, at Yumoto Onsen, Hakone. A procession of a total of 170 people dressed up as samurai warriors and princesses parades over a distance of some 6 km in the hot spring town.

Over 6km are covered on foot as costumed samurai warriors and princesses parade through Hakone for Daimyo Gyoretsu (Feudal Lord's Procession). While dance performances by Geigi and marching bands entertain, the words of 'Down! Down! The Lord comes!' echoing in the hot spring town under the autumn sky.Men armed with spears, bows and arrows or guns march on carrying their Lord, while leaders of the parade chant.

The festival begins at Sounji Temple with various activities carried out on the way before arriving at Yumoto Fujiya Hotel. Marching bands and the Daimyo procession are at the front and very end of the parade.

Geigi, unique to the resort, also perform. They are known as entertainers of song and dance at Sake parties. Once the celebration is over, visitors can relieve themselves by bathing in the hot springs.

Tags: Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu | Japan | Geigi | Sounji Temple

Festival Celebration Nov : Japan ~ Karatsu Kunchi Festival

Karatsu Kunchi Festival

Karatsu Kunchi designated as part of Japan's important intangible ethnic and cultural heritage.

Huge hikiyama floats are artistic masterpieces of Japan's wonderful festival culture. This is an autumn festival held at Karatsu-jinja Shrine which has a history of about 400 years. The Karatsu Kunchi is one of the major festivals of Kyushu.

Karatsu Kunchi is an autumn festival that takes place annually over 3 days from November 2 to 4 in Karatsu City, located in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu in the south western part of Japan. In 1980 the festival was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Karatsu Kunchi is an epic event in which local people, in time with rhythmical music, pull large floats through the town, to sound of flutes and drums, shouting the traditional prompting, "Enya! Enya!". Huge helmets or lions decorate the base of the floats, known as Hikiyama, which are 5 to 6 m (6 yd.) high and weigh from 2 to 5 tons.

* The basic structure of each Hikiyama is made from wood, and topped with a large decoration made from clay or wood over which, along with hundreds of sheets of washi paper, linen and other materials are laid. The surface is covered with different types of lacquer and finished with gold and silver leaf. It is said that each neighborhood spent enormous sums of money on the floats that took 2 to 3 years to complete. The 14 Hikiyama that are still used today were offered to Karatsu Shrine between 1819 and 1876.

Tags: Karatsu Kunchi | hikiyama | Kyushu | Japan festival |

Kolam

This colorful rice is for the Kolam decoration.

Kolam drawing has evolved as one of the 64 forms of art in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra.
Today, Kolam takes the shapes & patterns of nature, geometrical designs that also include deities.

We celebrate Deepavali in the month of October.

Tags: Kolam | Deepavali | Vatsyayana | Kamasutra

1987 Chinese New Year Postcard

Limited set of Postcard produced in China in year 1987.

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Tags: postcard|Chinese New Year