Adult Christmas

40 pages

4 m, 3 w, 2 teen girls, 2 boys.

Following a divorce, Judy Williams has become bitter and tries to shut out the world and move away from her troubles. The only problem with that is, God isn't finished with her, and He moves her right into the middle of a bunch of caring Christians. And He tops it off with two new neighbors who are guardian angels. He even challenges her with the Fink brothers, two bumblers who don't know how to do anything right - except show God's love. Here is a play which reminds us that when you are willing to experience God's forgiveness it can cut through bitterness an...

37 pages

5 m, 6 w, 2 extras.

Crazy, colorful Buster and Martha Smith, an elderly couple, are awaiting the arrival of their children and grandchildren for a traditional Christmas homecoming. They reminisce, in flashback, about the Christmas of 1955 when their youngest son, Ernest, hid "Santa," a man who had just robbed the bank, in their attic. While the robber tells Ernest fantastic stories to keep him believing, Buster tries to find the stolen money to earn the $1,000 reward to provide a good Christmas for his family. Martha must remind him of the real meaning of the holiday. Later the ...

24 pages

6 m, 4 w.

The Murphys are back in another heartwarming, spiritual comedy. (Meet them in "A Christmas Rapture".) This year they get a lot more than they bargained for when they adopt a nursing home patient for the Christmas holidays. What was hoped to be an opportunity to minister turns into a trial of their faith when Gus Swanson (better known as Grumpy Gus) arrives. Bitter and hardened from a past hurt, Gus makes life miserable for anyone around him. But the faith of teenage Denita Murphy and an unexpected reunion between Gus and a young evangelist, show us the healin...

20 pages

1 m, 1 - 2 w, 3 teen boys, 1 teen girl, (extras: 4 m, 1 w) Plus angelic choir (2 songs)

Owen is disgruntled. It’s time for the annual Christmas pageant and he’s been chosen for the role of a “dumb ole shepherd.” It’s even worse because his older brother will be playing a king carrying a gift of gold and his sister an angel dressed in regal finery. Meanwhile, Owen will be clothed in a “ratty old bathrobe with a towel wrapped around his head” carrying a stick. It just ain’t fair!

While he is stewing over his fate, he drifts off to sleep where he is transported back to the ...

20 pages

Many flexible roles with doubling, 8 players.

In this sequel to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Marley returns one year after Scrooge has become a more generous and loving man. When Scrooge protests that he keeps Christmas, Marley responds, "Yes, but does Christmas keep you?" Three Spirits, Faith, Hope and Love, appear, to take Scrooge back in time to witness the first Christmas. But Scrooge refuses to see that something is missing in his life. Only when the third Spirit, Love, reveals himself as Jesus does Scrooge understand the real meaning of Christmas. The drama ends with Scrooge surprising the...

22 pages

1 m, 3 w, 2-3 girls.

Speaking parts: 1 m, 3 w, 2-3 girls. Nativity non-speaking roles for 3 m, 1 w, 2 teen boys. Also children’s choir, optional handbell choir or other musicians.

"Finding Joy" tells the poignant, but funny story of Lucy, a grandmother struggling to find joy this first Christmas after her husband has passed away. Surrounded by her daughter and grandchildren, Lucy tries her best to decorate. Unwrapping the nativity pieces, an angel appears and takes Lucy into the world of the holy family where joy and difficulty also walked han...

26 pages

4 m, 2 w, 2 m non-speaking.

"If that means I have to charge more, so be it! If that means that the poor have to go hungry, too bad!" Those are the unfeeling words of Jonas, an innkeeper in Bethlehem. His inn is full and business is booming, thanks to Caesar's decree. But Jonas' wife, Abigail, and daughter, Deborah, cannot talk him into being a more compassionate businessman and helping those less fortunate. Jonas argues he should make all the money he can now for their old age since their son, Rueben, who would have helped take care of them, died much too soon. The way Jonas figures it,...

38 pages

5 m, 6 w, 1 boy.

Last Christmas, the wealthy Hendersons found Christ beneath a certain bright star they had mounted on their rooftop. (see "The Guiding Star".) This year, Charles and Liz want to put Christ in everyone's Christmas, but that may not be so easy, at least not with Liz's family visiting. Her parents are fighting non-stop and her sister, Sue, criticizes everything and everyone. Things go from bad to worse when it's discovered almost $500 is missing. Sue accuses the bumbling but lovable workmen, George and Bernie, who are trying to repair the rooftop star, but Sue's...

47 pages

6 m, 4 w, 2 teen girls.

If putting on the church's Christmas play isn't hectic enough under normal circumstances, Randy Rogers has the added problem of whether to use two new members. Fred and Royce Fink are ready to act, but they are so comical and bumbling, the other church members don't want them anywhere around, much less with major roles! Even Randy starts to doubt his decision of including them when he sees what a disaster the play is turning into. But when the Royce brothers accept Christ, they step into their greatest roles - that of showing us the joys of acceptance and for...

39 pages

5 m, 5 w, 1 flex, 2 boys, optional extras

It’s almost Christmas on Prosperity Lane. The Johnson family can’t get any of their Christmas lights to work, but worse than that, Charles and Elaine, along with their four children, have lost the Christmas Spirit – and they haven’t even noticed! After Mrs. Snodgrass, their outspoken elderly neighbor, points this out, Elaine offers a hasty prayer for help and comes up with a plan to help the children reach out to others during the season. Charles is with Elaine, but of course the kids all put up a fuss. Meanwhile bumbling thieves Rex and Roxie Lewis are makin...

20 pages

6 - 11 m, 3 - 4 w, 1 flexible, doubling possible

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the library it was quiet, until Tom and Huck wander from their book seeking a new adventure! Opening the cover of “Alice in Wonderland,” the boys are shocked by a rabbit hopping out, quickly followed by Alice. Trying to catch the rabbit leads to more books being knocked open, and they are soon joined by Dorothy Gale from “The Wizard of Oz,” St. Nicholas from “’T’was the Night Before Christmas,” Mrs. March from “Little Women” and old Scrooge with Marley from “A Christmas Carol.” The confused characters try to ma...

24 pages

5 m, 3 w, 5 flex

It Christmas and once more the ornaments have been hauled out of storage and put on display. But why? That is the question that the Christmas tree ornaments are asking themselves. Why are they stuffed in boxes for months on end just to be hauled out and stuck on a prickly old tree once a year? As they argue amongst themselves and bemoan their aches and pains from being cramped up for so long, they are suddenly confronted with the characters from the crèche: an angel, a shepherd and a wise man. They've come to tell the ornaments to keep it down as they are goi...

29 pages

11 characters

Serenity and Charity, two angels under Gabriel’s supervision, have been dispatched to Earth to help mankind remember what Christmas should be about. To maximize their out-reach they tackle the place where there are the most humans: a busy store in the middle of the holiday shopping season! Their scheme is to leave a gift in the “Lost and Found” department, hoping that someone opens it to discover its mysterious contents. Unfortunately, the stressed humans have so many sales to find and buying to do that no one claims the package. As a last resort, th...

40 pages

2 m, 7 w, 3 b, 2 g + extras if desired.

Florence and Myrna, residents of a rest home in Pasadena, make up a story to test Myrna's children. Florence has never had a real family Christmas. Myrna had years of storybook Christmases with her five children who live in Idaho, but now her health needs have brought her to a warmer climate. Florence fantasizes that a family would come along and take her in for Christmas, but of course no family would put themselves out that way. Yes, they would, says Myrna, her children would. She taught them to be caring in just that way. "Would not," says Florence. "Would...

28 pages

2 m, 3 w, 2 flexible.

It is the day of Eleanor's annual church Christmas dinner for the poor and she has brought along her new boyfriend, Leo, to meet her grown granddaughter, Jane, for the first time. Jane has also brought along her new boyfriend, Bobby, to meet her grandmother. Unfortunately, they are so busy serving the dinner that the two couples do not get the chance for formal introductions. Through a series of misunderstandings, each person thinks the other is someone else entirely. Eleanor thinks Bobby is one of the homeless people while Bobby thinks Eleanor is a confused ...