Adult Christmas

56 pages

5 m, 5 w, extra children

Ray awakens from a coma to learn that the country is celebrating Christmas every month, (Hanukkah every quarter), in order to stimulate the economy. “A Christmas Carol” is constantly playing at the local community theatre, Christmas lights blaze all night, and there’s enough fruitcake to choke a camel. Ray himself is different and his bitter attitude is affecting his fiancée, Mary. When she expresses her frustration with not being able to stop the multiple Christmases, and more importantly, with Ray’s behavior, he pulls a stunt that lands him in jail. There h...

26 pages

5 m, 5 w, extras as nativity characters, carolers and shoppers

Joe, deeply hurt by his daughter's rebellious marriage to Mark, has not been able to accept his son-in-law or the child which prompted the marriage. When Mark, sent by his wife, arrives at Joe's Christmas tree sales lot to give him a hand, the stage is set for a bitter confrontation. Although Joe is known for the gentle Christmas spirit he shares with his customers, he has none to offer his unwanted son-in-law. However, meeting with Miz Wilma, a social worker; Margie, a local bag lady; and others, especially after they've visited a nativity scene, start Joe t...

71 pages

3 m, 5 w, 1 flexible

With just two days to Christmas, all demons are completely swamped with work and cannot take on more. However, Lucy Farr and her assistant Bea L. Zaybub may have to. Their problem is Pauline Salmon, a hard-bitten businesswoman who has been one of Lucy's finest subjects. But the new pastor, Rev. Ledbetter, is praying hard for Pauline as he struggles to make his church viable once again. Meanwhile, bad boy Jamie is trying to turn over a new leaf. Judgmental Pauline treats him badly and in retaliation, he steals from her shop. Escaping, he is run down by the mal...

17 pages

1 m, 2 w, 5 flexible, 6 boys, 2 girls, extras.

The church children are practicing for the Christmas program when Katie asks Pastor Steve if they are going to do the program just once at the church. Katie wants her grandmother, who lives at Green Hills Convalescent Center, to see it. Pastor Steve hurriedly arranges for the play to be performed at the center, but Katie is upset when she learns her grandmother won't attend because she hates Christmas. A heartwarming ending to this Christmas drama shows us Christ's love. Performance time: About 50 minutes with suggested songs.

33 pages

3 m, 6 w, 1 boy

It's almost Christmas and it's hectic! Ragan and Sabrina Carpenter, young marrieds, are trying to help Sabrina's mother and sister get Grandma Lois moved into the garage apartment. In addition, Ragan is expecting his brothers to join him, including Ryan, alone due to marital problems, and Reed, a busy college student. On top of that, the pastor's family needs help with their Christmas drama. In the midst of everything, Ragan has an unexpected visit from a social worker. In tow with her is R.J., a young boy whose sole parent, his mother, has just died. He is a...

82 pages

2 m, 2w, 1 male teen

An emotional, heart-opening journey about love, friendship, family, sacrifice, and what it truly means to give begins with an enormous Christmas tree wrestled into the warmth of a Colorado cabin. The Britton family, Brad and Tina and their son Nick, are eagerly anticipating the joy of a fun-filled holiday vacation spent with their close friends, Kyle and Jan, who arrive bearing gifts of sentiment, sarcasm, and sass. The two couples merrily begin to share their laughter, their affection, and their memories of the good ol’ days, but too soon Jan begins to quest...

43 pages

5 m, 6 w, and several flexible

Christmas is going to be a little unusual this year as the family tries to celebrate their first "official" holiday after Grandma's death. Over the past year, Grandpa, Samantha, and her teens, Mary and David, have each responded differently to their loss. Samantha has buried herself in her job at the hospital, David has quit the team, and Mary has developed an attitude. Family unity has fallen apart, but through humorous and tender moments, they try to rebuild their broken relationships. A beautiful Jesus stocking filled with love notes they have each written...

56 pages

4 m, 3 w 3 girls, doubling possible.

Three related one-acts are woven together with scenes in a radio booth. George and Mary Williams are $14-million lottery winners. They host "Radio Riches," a local broadcast, where they receive calls and letters from people seeking money, and share stories about the people they help. The first one-act, "How Can They Call It a Fixed Income When We're Always Broke?" is about a retired man who hesitates taking a check from the Williamses, much to the wife's chagrin. In "Bus Stop Baptism," the homeless Preachin' Pearl discovers George's motives to help the poor a...

39 pages

5 m, 4 w, 2 teen b, 3 teen g, 1 g, extras.

Another Christmas Eve at Holly Day's Inn! New customers including two young runaways, one on drugs, as well as old customers including the parents who almost split up last year, are back at the inn. Holly Day's Inn is not a fancy place but as the characters find out, a place filled with love and hope. Performance time: About 70 minutes.

20 pages

2-3 adults, 7 children

It’s Christmas Eve in the 1770s, and a father is depressed he cannot afford to buy his eight motherless children any gifts. Suddenly he thinks of a present that won’t break or wear out, one they can all enjoy together. He sings a beautiful round about the Savior’s birth and the children quickly join in. An old sea captain living upstairs offers them money for peace and quiet. But without singing, the family’s mood becomes somber once again. Father tells the oldest child to return the moneythe family is going to sing! Ultimately, the old captain still gives th...

43 pages

2 m, 3 w, 1 teenage girl, 1 boy, extras.

Hollister Day wants to spend the day before Christmas at home with his beloved wife, Mamie, but she insists they help their friend, Octavia, who is weak and bitter from surgery. And help they do - first with Octavia's divorcing daughter and son-in-law, and then with a teenage neighbor who is facing an unplanned pregnancy alone. Holly asks a battered angel doll to help. Through prayer, peace and goodwill is spread and somehow, the battered angel is beautiful again. A unique nativity scene, with children portraying the shepherds spreading the good news of Jesus...

43 pages

3 m, 4 w, 1 boy, 2 girls, extras.

Hollister Day is trying to get home to his beloved wife, Mamie, in time for the Christmas church service, but his detour to a small motel may be heaven sent. He's needed to unite a regretful grandmother with her lonely grandchild and bitter daughter-in-law to show a young couple the sacredness of marriage and remind a feuding older couple that true love never really dies. Marriage, divorce, the rights of children and grandparents - everyone will identify with these problems which are faced with faith and humor. Performance time: About 70 minutes. 

13 pages

4 m.

A modern retelling of the Job story from the Bible. A fascinating discussion about the differences in modern religions. In the waiting room of an airport in the American Midwest, Joe Barnes, a prosperous businessman, is met by his doctor, Ed Tishman. Joe's wife and children were aboard a plane that crashed at the Tel Aviv airport, and he's waiting to hear what happened to them. Dr. Tishman offers pills to calm Joe's nerves, but he refuses them. Joe recounts his toughness in riding out business losses, but confesses his confidence and faith have now been shake...

10 pages

by Charlee Cardon Wilson.

19 pages

2 m, 2 w

Perhaps the most perfect Christmas parable ever written is O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi." In this one-act play version is the timeless story of Della and Jim, a struggling young couple who seek to give the other the ideal Christmas gift. They barter their most valued possessions to purchase each other's gifts: Della's beautiful long hair for a watch fob and chain, Jim's watch for a tortoise shell comb set for Della. While the physical gifts prove useless, their love is enriched beyond measure. About 35 minutes.