Academic painter Ivan Schurmann was born on 28th June 1935 in Bratislava. He studied at the secondary vocational school of arts and crafts and at the Academy of Fine Arts under Professor Vincent Hložník. He illustrated more than seventy books, mostly textbooks and children’s literature, and enamelled several monumental three-dimensional works. From 1980 Schurmann created many stamp designs, most of all with social and sports themes, which are remarkable by their dynamic drawings. In this issue the author presents the most beautiful time of a year – Christmas, characterised by his words: “Christmas is full of joy and peace, that the...