Merry Mayhem

In Rebel, Louisiana, Christmas isn't a holiday-it's a full-contact sport.

As a firefighter, I thought I'd seen holiday chaos before-fires caused by too many string lights, a Santa stuck in a chimney, one unfortunate incident with a candy cane-but this small town takes Christmas to a whole new level.

It all starts when I'm asked to pose as a fake boyfriend for the town's annual holiday competition. Easy gig: play games, drink cocoa, smile big, take home the trophy.

But my "date's" plans go s...