Gallery: Holiday Covers

 

Norman Rockwell brilliantly reveals the concept of thankfulness in his portrait of a mother proudly peeling potatoes with her son, just home from the war, and in a family happily sharing a traditional meal.

 

 

Sometimes the best Christmas memories are the unexpected ones, such as stopping to watch firemen set up their decorations on a chill winter’s evening, or having one’s inner child entranced by a store window display. Fortunately, these pleasant moments crowd out the hassles of fighting one’s way through seasonal crowds.

 

 

After sending wish lists to Santa, there’s the long wait during which one tries to maintain the angelic façade described to Santa in one’s missives. Then there’s the magic of Christmas Eve, when it’s impossible to resist sneaking a peek at the activity unfolding in the living room.

 

The look on artist Constantin Alajálov’s waiter’s face says this isn’t his first New Year’s without a kiss. Such forgotten heroes of holiday parties were also honored by Norman Rockwell. His model, a senior waiter at the Waldorf, had seen countless New Year’s morning clean-ups, which is why the dejected slump of his shoulders is so realistic.

This gallery is featured in the November/December 2021 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.

Featured image: Illustration by Norman Rockwell