(SBT24/7News) Julia Maish stood on the right side of the Morris Performing Arts Center stage recounting one of her most vivid Christmas memories.

It involved a borrowed black dress, a handsome, but intoxicated young stranger, an unfortunate fire to said dress, and a bowl of eggnog that doused the flames.

"That was the first time I ever really sizzled," she said as Clay Aiken smiled broadly at the center of the Morris stage.

Maish was one of four South Bend audience members invited to share their holiday tales Wednesday night during Aiken’s "Christmas in the Heartland" tour stop.

The stories, solicited for the tour as part of a fan club contest, were interspersed throughout the 90-minute set, bringing a dose of hometown charm to a concert that, at times, felt almost too formal.

Best known for his stint on the second season of the Fox reality juggernaut "American Idol," Aiken bypassed his hits but wooed the crowd with a selection of holiday staples and several tracks off his 2004 CD, "Merry Christmas With Love."

A relaxed and polished Aiken, dressed in all black, eased into a soft rendition of "O Come, O Come Emanuel," then, with the Bill Porter Orchestra, a Chicago jazz band, in tow, he launched into the first of the show’s three holiday medleys. Joined by talented supporting vocalists Angela Fisher and Quiana Parlor, the trio zipped through an arrangement that somehow morphed "Away in a Manger," "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Silent Night" into a single, pleasant entity.

Maish, who lives in Chicago, was the first of the four storytellers to step onstage. Up until Tuesday, she didn’t expect she would be sharing any of the four stories she submitted to the contest.

"I found out last night at 9:30 p.m.," Maish said. "I guess he liked this one."

While Maish’s story was played to comedic perfection, the others included more traditional tales — a Christmas tradition between mother and son, a woman’s connection to her goddaughter, and an immigrant’s recollection of her family’s first American Christmas.

"It’s nice to be in this part of the country," Aiken said. "It’s nice to be back in Indiana."

The audience seemed to agree.

"There were two people from Tampa, Fla. Then there were two gals from California who flew in for the concert," Morris volunteer usher Eve Pierce said. "I met a man or a woman from Texas, and of course the people from Michigan. It’s just amazing. They’re real groupies."

Although a good chunk of the audience may not share a common zip code, it was clear Wednesday that these were proud citizens of Claynation.

They clapped loudly when Aiken belted out perhaps his most popular Christmas tune, "Mary, Did You Know?"

They seemed undaunted by a few harmless, but noticeable vocal cracks at the end of "Winter Wonderland."

They even panicked for a brief moment when the curtain fell just 45 minutes into the show. Seconds later a voice came on to inform them that it was simply intermission.

Perhaps it was the orchestra setting, or the backup singers in formal gowns, but the first act came off as a bit stiff, despite Aiken’s obvious vocal acuity.

It’s clear he has grown as a singer and performer since his "American Idol" stint, and after the break, he proved by just how much.

Aiken’s tender version of "O, Holy Night" set the tone for the rest of the night.

He was inspired throughout "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come All Ye Faithful," before yielding to Parlor for her soulful rendition of "Where Are You Christmas?"

It all led to the undeniable concert highlight, "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day," a tune once sung by Parlor.

"I like it so much," Aiken admitted, "I stole it from her."

Whether they knew it or not, this was the moment the audience was waiting for. Reminiscent of his "American Idol" performances, Aiken pushed his vocals to hit the big notes, which he did to perfection.

The song’s crescendo was such a stirring moment that audience members actually leaped to their feet like they were at a church revival.

They were still standing when Aiken left the stage and remained that way until he came out for the one-song encore, "All is Well." It paled in comparison to "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day," but the song’s tender moments turned out to be a fitting ending for a holiday show that left Aiken’s faithful following delightfully giddy as they exited the theater.