Summary: Two characters discuss the reason for and meaning of Christmas.
Style: Light-hearted Duration: 5+min
Actors: 2 puppets or 2M/F
Characters:
Originally written for 2 puppets, but can be performed equally well by 2 people.
Script:
[Enter #2 muttering as s/he consults a list, followed shortly afterwards by #1.]
1: Hello, hello, hello! How are you getting on then?
2: Not very well. I’ll never be ready in time for Christmas. I’ve still got so much to do!
1: Like what?
2: Oh, you know; presents to sort, food & drink to buy, party invites to send out – all the usual Christmas stuff.
1: Well, make sure you don’t forget to remember what Christmas is really all about!
2: Oh ... you mean getting presents, eating & drinking too much, being on holiday, partying, being with the family – stuff like that?
1: No, actually I don’t mean [mimics] ‘stuff like that’.
2: [puzzled] What do you mean then?
1: I’m talking about the reason for all that eating & drinking & partying & getting presents.
2: Which is?
1: You honestly don’t know, do you?
2: Know what?
1: Listen ... when you were little, did you ever take part in a nativity play?
2: [pause] Yes, I did actually. I remember now! There was Mary & Joseph with the baby Jesus lying in the manger. I was one of those three kings who came, and I tripped over the scenery, and my gift of gold when flying through the air and hit Joseph smack on the head! That was funny, that was! He was never the same after that, poor lad![Carrying on excitedly after a short pause] And then there was that time when the whole thing had to be cancelled because the girl playing the virgin Mary had got nits! Yes, it’s all coming back to me now.
1: Yes, very amusing. I bet you can’t remember what other gifts the three kings brought, can you?
2: Erm ... let me think ... murder – that’s it, the gift of murder.
1: [astonished] Murder ... murder?
2: No – there was only one gift of murder, not two!
1: [scathingly] There weren’t any gifts of murder at all! [Suddenly realising] You mean myrrh!
2: Do I? Oh yes ... that’s right ... myrrh!
1: The gift of gold showed that the baby Jesus would be a king, whereas the gift of myrrh showed that ...
2: [interrupting] ... showed that he would be myrrh-dered; get it? Mur-dered?
1: [exasperated] No! [pause] Although he was actually put to death on a cross by the Romans for a crime he didn’t commit – which I suppose is murder? And myrrh was used to anoint dead bodies with, so the gift pointed to Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of the world.
2: There was a third gift, wasn’t there? [Pause] I remember now – it was sent by Frank!
1: What are you on about?
2: Frank ... he sent a gift to the baby ...
1: [interrupting] You’re talking about frank-incense ...
2: [interrupting] That’s right – Frank Incense; he must have been the son of Mr & Mrs Incense, and he sent a gift ...
1: [exasperated] No he didn’t! There was nobody called Frank Incense. The gift itself was frankincense, and it showed that Jesus would be a priest who would bring us back to God.
2: Well, I’m glad we’ve got that sorted out!
1: Do you remember anyone else in the story?
2: [thinks for a moment, then triumphantly] Yes, I do! There were some shepherds who were washing their socks.
1: [disbelievingly] Washing their socks?
2: Yes! We sang this carol: [sings] ‘While shepherds washed their socks by night ...’
1: [interrupting] It’s ‘watched their flocks’, not washed their socks!
2: Oh, that’s a relief! I always wondered why the shepherds would be washing their socks in the middle of the night.
1: They were watching over their flocks of sheep on a hillside outside Bethlehem. Then what happened?
2: Erm ... an angel appeared to them, and started talking about a piece of earth?
1: [exasperated] Not a piece of earth; Peace on earth! Jesus had come to bring peace on earth.
2: Well he didn’t succeed, did he? Just look at the state of the world today!
1: Yes, but that’s because people didn’t follow his teachings properly, and still don’t today.
2: Hmmm ... I’ll have to think about that! But at least I’ve been reminded about the real reason for celebrating Christmas.
1: Which is?
2: The birth of a baby over two thousand years ago in Bethlehem who became known as Jesus Christ.
1: And do you know what ‘Christmas’ means?
2: Oh yes ... you’re not going to catch me out there! It means presents & food & drink & parties ...
1: [interrupting] No, no, no! The word itself: ‘Christmas’ – what does it mean?
2: I’ve no idea.
1: Well, it means ‘the feast of Christ’.
2: Does it really? Well, if I’m going to do any feasting, I’d better go and do some shopping! Coming with me?
1: OK, but you’re pushing the trolley.
[They exit, arguing]
2: No way – you’re pushing the trolley.
1: No I’m not.
2: Yes you are.
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what purpose the play is performed. S/he may be contacted at: