Everyone has certain images when they think of Christmas, from baking cookies and decorating the tree to opening presents and visiting family.

The warmth and comfort of these images is what the Festival Playhouse looks for in its Christmas plays, and have tapped directly into it with Pat Cook’s “Somethin’ Special for Christmas.”

“I looked back and since 1995 we’ve done 20 productions of Pat Cook works. Most everybody likes him, and the reason they do is that it’s a show that you’re going to watch and feel good,” Charley Ault, the show’s director and actor said. “Everyone can just sit back and enjoy it.”

Set on a ranch in west Texas during the 1950s, the story focuses in on three ranch hands: Smitty (Miles Silverman) the foreman, Bubba (Charley) and Eddie (Jim Hoover).

The three men live a simple life on the ranch, and are devoted to its widowed owner Sara Prientess (Donna Sweet Ault) and her daughter Jordan (Abcedee Theodoratos), though times are hard for all involved.

When Jason Benedict (Sean Thompson) tries to buy the ranch, Sara decides to give her daughter one last special Christmas with the ranch hands.

However, when they get drafted into playing the three wise men in Opal Robinson’s (Karen Johnston) school play and they try to bring Santa to life for Jordan, things go hilariously awry for everyone.

“Everything turns out all right in the end, which is what you want in a Christmas show,” Charley said. “It’s fun, whimsical stuff, that really captures the life of Christmas.”

This is the first show for Theodoratos, who is 9 years old, and has been taking acting classes at the Playhouse.

“I think she’s (Jordan) kind of sassy, and confident with herself. I like her attitude,” Theodoratos said. “I’ve done some school plays, but this is my first play. I just like acting.”

Silverman, Charley and Hoover, all describe the their ranch hand characters as not the brightest of men, but make up for it with the size of their hearts.

“Smitty is like a favorite uncle to Jordan, and he really looks after her,” Silverman said. “He’s a real ‘salt of the earth’ type guy, but is really a romantic at heart.”

Charley said that Bubba has a heart of gold, but not a lot going on upstairs, while Eddie is the type of person that people meet and immediately say “bless his heart” according to Hooper.

Donna said that while Sara is constantly taking care of who she calls the “three idiots” there is a real soft spot for them in her heart.

“They’ve been with her through the thinest of the thin, and she is grateful” Donna said.

All involved with in the play agree that the show is perfect for families looking for something heartwarming this holiday season.

“It’s a simple story, but I think it’s very moving, especially since it’d told through the eyes of a little girl,” Silverman said.

“There’s a great message of hope throughout,” Hoover said.