Country singer Martina McBride [ tickets ] has set early winter dates for the fourth incarnation of her "Joy of Christmas" traveling holiday extravaganza.

The Christmas-themed tour returns after a one-year absence. McBride toured extensively earlier this year to support her latest album, "Timeless."

The "multi-media" holiday production utilizes elaborate sets, special effects and a crew of actors backing McBride's vocals.

"One minute you're in a quaint village underneath a Christmas tree; the next minute you're in Bethlehem crossing the desert, and the next, you have a World War II, Bob Hope/Bing Crosby vibe," said the show's executive producer, Bud Schaetzle, in a press release. "The centerpiece, of course, is McBride and her music."

McBride's set lists for "The Joy of Christmas" include many of the standards that appeared on her 1999 holiday album, "White Christmas."

"Christmas is such a wonderful time, and I wanted to create a memorable holiday experience for the entire family," McBride said in the press statement. "By developing a show that incorporates elements of theater, video, special effects and audience interaction, we'll be able to take the audience through every aspect of the Christmas season in a magical, inspiring way."

"Timeless," released last October, sold about 185,000 copies during its first week in stores and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Country Albums chart, and No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The album features McBride's take on country hits made famous by artists such as Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, among others.