Once again this year, Correos has issued two new stamps to send Christmas greetings to everyone we know.
The first of the stamps is dedicated through an illustration to the Christmas sweets so present in most homes. The tradition of receiving and sharing with family and friends a tray with pieces of nougat, marzipan, polvorones... is still maintained today in many Spanish homes.
There is no agreement on the exact origin of the tradition of eating sweets during Christmas celebrations. Some historians claim that it is a pagan rite, while others defend the idea that it is a religious custom that was forged in convents. Both versions come from the Middle Ages, specifically from the celebration of the winter solstice.
The Three Kings' cake is associated with the arrival of the three kings, although many place its origin in the 2nd century BC in the celebration of the Saturnalia in ancient Rome. France is also associated with the tradition of the roscón and it is said that it was during the reign of Louis XV that a gold coin was first introduced as a prize.
The second stamp, as has been the case since Christmas 2019, is dedicated to a regional nativity scene, this year 2023 to a sand nativity scene which is built every year on the Las Canteras beach in Las Palmas de Gran Canarias.
The sand nativity scene has become a mass crib that identifies Christmas on the beach.
Due to the climate, it allows a complex and fragile scenography such as sand to remain unaltered for weeks.
It is an ephemeral art, but of an enormous quality, which is reflected in the precision of the compositions, in the originality of the characters.
The spirit of solidarity, as the proceeds from the donations collected from visitors are donated to social projects.
The sculptures are the work of different artists who model the sculptures with a certain inclination where the base must have a greater proportion than the upper parts in order for the work to last for a long time. The work has to start from the top to the base. The height is one of the most difficult features in this type of sculpture as they have no internal structure or supports to hold so much volume.
