The trilogy was written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard.
The plays are at once an affectionate comment on small-town, Southern life and attitudes but also a withering satire of same.
Williams and Sears regularly toured the country to perform all four plays, with Howard directing.
A mysterious "Christmas Phantom", known for vandalizing the yard displays, threatens to throw the contest into turmoil.
Among the subplots are Stanley Bumiller's attempts to end his probation and leave Tuna, Bertha Bumiller's trying to hold her family together at Christmas time, and Joe Bob Lipsey's struggle to mount successfully his production of A Christmas Carol despite numerous vexations and obstacles.