Christmas C – Nativity of Christ

The Nativity of Christ is one of the most commonly depicted themes in the history of art, and also in contemporary religious art. It is no surprise, then, that a Nativity scene should be among the more than 600 religious and secular designs found on the painted beehive panels that are a peculiarity of Slovene culture found nowhere else in the world. More than 50,000 painted beehive panels were made between the mid-eighteenth century and the early twentieth century, of which something like 3,000 still survive in museums and private collections. Other Christmas iconography from beehive panels includes the Three Kings following the star (or comet) to the poor stable in which Christ was born. The image of the Three Kings featured on this stamp is, however, just one of many artistic interpretations on typical Christmas or Christmas/New Year greeting cards. It shows the Three Kings as three carol-singers or wassailers, because the Epiphany – also known as Three Kings Day – was one of the most popular times to go wassailing in this winter period. Epiphany wassailing songs are among the oldest examples of folk songs. There was, of course, also a social dimension to Epiphany wassailing. Individuals dressed as the Three Kings went from house to house singing carols and collecting gifts in the form of food. This represents a way in which communities in the past ensured that those on the margins of society were provided with at least a minimum amount of food to keep starvation at bay. In the present age, particularly since 1991, the tradition of Epiphany wassailing has revived as a festive activity among young people both in villages and in towns.