The clue here really gave us the children part, but it also has the sledge and skis as playthings, and it gives us a country name, "Suede", which is Sweden..
Now Sweden comes out top in the ranks of places that do play well. They spend a lot of time outdoors as families, and play just happens, without a lot of the rules that restrict other nations - and often their parks and green spaces are complete with play areas. Another reason they score so highly, though, may surprise many of us, because Swedish children are brought up to be allowed to take risks, to climb trees, swing by rope over rivers, and to get dirty in the process - without, in many cases, there being a supervisor to guard them and prevent them damaging themselves before they ever get a chance to. Being alone, and finding out their strengths and testing their weaknesses, allows them not only freedom and independence, but makes them stronger and less likely to fail when tested by life later on.
Monsieur Meurisse actually started the first chocolate factory in Belgium in 1845. This was sited in Antwerp. If you look on the card it tells you that date, as well as another, Anvers 1894. That was the Exposition Internationale d`Anvers, am international exhibition of products, at which Meurisse took many prizes, including Hors Concours, which means Best in Show (or it does for dogs and horses - there is probably another term for it). Today the firm remains in family hands, proudly organic, and they are a B Corp.
This set seems to be not called children at play, as I suspected, for several dealers call it "Les Enfants dans divers Pays" or children in other countries.
- Allemagne [Germany]
- Chine
- France
- Amerique
- Turquie
- Espagne
- Suisse
- Hollande
- Russie
- Italie
- Suede
- Ecosse [Scotland]