Chinese Zodiac, Japan

My untrained eye didn't recognise at first glance just how much thought was put into this cover - and that it was indeed a chinese zodiac in question! With the years of rooster ('69), dog ('70), pig ('71) and 'my own' snake ('89), completed with cute eeyore from the winnie the pooh series (2013). Another great cover from tabisuruyuki, ありがとう xD

 

YOTS - Indonesia

A fantastic Year Of The Snake FDC sent inside an envelope with yots stamps, filled with colourful items such as this :) Thank you dear Shinta, always a joy to receive mail from you!

YOTS - France

This cover next to the definitives includes the French Year of the Snake stamp, thank you Axel :)

YOTS - Slovenia

Thank you Mateja for the Slovenian Year Of The Snake cover, I really appreciate it :)

YOTS - Canada

How amazing is this Year Of The Snake stamp from Canada?! Many thanks Maryam :))

YOTS- USA

Another Year Of The Snake cover, this time from Patrick - thank you :)

YOTS - Serbia

Another fantastic cover from Serbia - simply love the design of the 'Year Of The Snake' stamps! Once again huge thanks goes to Ana :)) (I wonder if they thought it was a shame to cancel the pretty stamps...)

Year Of The Snake - Liechtenstein

 

This year I havent been able to swap much for Year Of The Snake stamps, but this is one of the few treasures that I have received and am overwhelmed by its beauty - the stamp has the pattern of the chinese paper cut art, love it! Croatian Mail didnt issue Chinese Zodiac stamps this year, I suppose that the last year's dragon issue was just an exception, sadly. Snakes are disliked (to say the least) by many but I admire some aspects of these creatures...hope to get a few more different covers :) 

Many thanks to Ruedi of Switzerland!