In time for the Walpurgis festivities at the end of April, the Post issues the booklet "Walpurgis Night" containing eight self-adhesive stamps.
Walpurgis Night is celebrated in Aland as well as elsewhere in the Nordic countries on 30 April. Many people celebrate by gathering around a large bonfire. It is customary for the children in Aland to make special May rods of colourful tissue paper on Walpurgis Night, and everybody eats rosettes and drinks mead.
The stamp depicts a family of four standing next to a huge bonfire, enjoying themselves in the light of the fire. The artist behind the stamp is Anni Wikberg, who has also designed the booklet cover, featuring a boy and a girl who celebrate Walpurgis Night the traditional Aland way. The first day cover shows a boy with a large student's cap on his head and a red balloon in one hand. The cancel is designed as a pinwheel, even that common among the children on Walpurgis Night.
Date of issue: 29 April 2005
Design: Anni Wikberg
Issue: 150,000 self-adhesive booklets
Denomination: 8 x 2nd class
Price, booklet: ˆ 4.00
Price, FDC: ˆ 0.95
Price, collector's sheet: ˆ 5.10
Size, stamps: 35.96 x 25.73 mm
Size, booklet: 174 x 60 mm, 8 x 1 stamp
Perforation: 13 per 2 cm
Paper: 233 g/m2
Printing method: 4-colour offset
Printing house: Cartor Security Printing
