"The holidays aren't only about the great spiritual issues of our
lives. For most of us, they're as much about the near and dear as they are
about the high and holy. A Holiday Gathering is certainly near and dear to
me, and I hope that its portrayal of a congenial gathering of family and
friends will be near and dear to you as well. Of all the holiday rituals, the
one I prize the most is the coming together of loved ones in shared
celebration. Even if our family circle is small, the Christmas season can
become a benchmark of friendship, a time we pause to savor traditions of
comfort and joy.
I find the settings of A Holiday Gathering exquisitly comfortable. Nestled
beneath wintery trees and luminous sky,
the rambling village homes gleam with a warm, welcoming light that spills
into the street, inviting one and all to join in the gathering. Celebrants
gather in quiet groups on porches to visit, gossip, perhaps sing a round of
favorite Christmas carols. Vintage cars, Christmas lights, and even a dog or
two complete this nostalgic scene. It's what I've come to think of as a
"Norman Rockwell Christmas" -- warm, welcoming, traditional."
--Thomas Kinkade