In Christmas Evening I return to the cottage that is the centerpiece of "A Quiet Evening" – the thatch-roofed hutch many collectors have told me is their favorite Kinkade home. It is the evening before Christmas day, and the joyous symbols of the season abound. The cozy cottage is festooned with Christmas lights; a wreath is hung on the door; a previously unseen gas lamp heralds visitors from across the icy stream. Perhaps you can even imagine children gathered around the tree, singing Christmas carols while the family prepares to savor a lovingly prepared meal. Surely the Christmas spirit is alive within these stone walls.