 This modern version of the Christmas story adds elements of  Charles Dickens  (qv)  "A Christmas Carol." On Christmas eve somewhere in the US southwest, three cowboys are riding through the desert night with items they purchased at a general store. They see a bright light just above the horizon and decide to find out where the it is coming from. The light turns out to be a newly installed light, in the shape of a large star, at the Star Auto Court. The auto court s owner, Nick, doesn t believe there is much good left in the world. He complains that people wish each other  Merry Christmas,  then look out only for themselves the rest of the year. His customers get the brunt of his rudeness, but have no other choice of lodging nearby. A young couple, Jose and Maria Santos, arrives hoping to get lodging. There are no cabins available, so they must settle for a small shed to sleep in. When the lodgers find out about Maria s medical condition, Nick learns that there is still goodness in the world .