Christmas

37 pages

4 m, 3 w, 4 flexible parts.

Dylan and Tyler Shepherd, brothers whose arguing finally stopped when they were brought together one Christmas (see "The Shepherds Who Gather"), are back in this sequel. It's five years later and now they are working together on a Christian TV show. Unfortunately, the station has a new owner, Tabitha Rafferty, to whom ratings are more important than people or their priorities. She has little sympathy for Dylan whose wife has recently died, leaving him to raise their young son alone. But Christmas is a time of giving. Some unusual "gifts" given by some unlikel...

29 pages

9 flexible parts, approx. 3 m, 5 w, 1 child.

Linda is worried because her recently widowed mother, Susan, is adamant about staying in her Florida condominium rather than coming up north to celebrate the holiday. Linda decides she and her husband and children better see what's wrong, even if it means they won't be celebrating Christmas the "right way" with all the familiar traditions. And non-traditional it is! Instead of warm fires and sled rides the kids are sunbathing and riding jet skis. But when Linda objects because her mother may miss Christmas Eve services, she finds the real and generous reason ...

37 pages

4 m, 4 w, 1 girl.

Have you ever received a gift you didn't really want? A young married couple, Stephen and Pamela, find themselves on the receiving end of a grandfather's will, and the inheritance, should they choose to accept it, is his retarded adult son. Although they are Christians, Stephen and Pamela undergo a critical test of faith and marriage, as they share the Christmas season with this unexpected "presence," Uncle Duncan, plus some friends and family members who complicate their custodial decision and their holiday. Humor and pathos color their unfolding dilemma. Ch...

27 pages

Large flexible cast, doubling possible.

A troop of young angels are singing their rousing "Angel Flight Song" as the play opens. Some of the angels have questioned the wisdom of making their announcement of Christ's birth to some lowly shepherds rather than to somebody "important." Through the miracle of "Angel Vision," they are able to observe firsthand how four potentates (King Herod, the Roman Governor, the high priest, and a wealthy businessman) would react if their announcement were made to each of them. They gratefully announce Jesus' birth to the shepherds as originally planned by God and ta...

20 pages

2 m, 1 w, 1 girl.

Raymond MacDonald Alden's short story, “Why the Chimes Rang,” tells the legend of long ago when, on Christmas Eve, it was the custom for all the people to bring to the church their offerings to the Christ Child. And there had been a time when an unusual offering brought magnificent music from the chimes which were rung, everyone believed, by the angels. But lately, no offering had been great enough ... that is until young, poor boy makes his first pilgrimage through the snow to give his simple gift. Now this classic tale of faith, family, and sacrifice is wov...

36 pages

7 m, 5 w, 9 flexible.

A group of young people from church have won the honor of decorating the grounds in front of city hall for Christmas, but when they put up the manger scene, an atheist businessman objects. Meanwhile, a younger sister of one of the group wages a persistent attack on the walls of anger that a grumpy neighbor has erected. The kids fight a losing battle for the right to keep the religious decorations and finally decide they themselves will be a living nativity scene on Christmas Eve. Forced to stop by city officials, they are invited to create the manger scene on...

33 pages

5 m, 6 w, 2 boys, 4 girls, extras.

Some 10 years earlier a dying little boy taught B.J. Grant, a skeptical teenager, about Christ ("To See Christ at Christmas"). Now a youth minister, B.J. gets a chance to do the same. He arranges a Christmas church camp where Gary, a lonely boy, finds love in the family of Christ, and Mae, the camp director, finds the courage to go on. Ending allows for optional Christmas program of your choice. Very touching. Performance time: 35 minutes.

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...

62 pages

4 m, 3 w, 2 girls, extras.

It's almost Christmas in a poor coal mining town in the early 1900s. When a foundling baby girl appears on the doorstep of the company store, Annie, the possessive wife of the proprietor, takes a shine to her. But Arly, who works at the store and makes Christmas presents for all the kids in town, learns that the real mother is Francine. She has kept her pregnancy secret from everyone, even her mean-spirited husband. She loves the baby, but is too poor to raise her and an older daughter. A cave-in at the mine sows tragedy and complicates matters further. Franc...

36 pages

7 m, 6 w, 2 girls.

Chuck Overton is finally home for Christmas, but his welcome is far from reminiscent of the prodigal son. Because of Chuck's involvement in a robbery years earlier, his father, Aubrey, has shut him out and refuses even to talk to him. Seemingly nothing can pierce Aubrey's hardened heart until Chuck's young daughter, delivering letters from the past, intervenes. Her middle name is Rose, after her late-grandmother. When Aubrey thinks how his late wife Rose would have handled Chuck, he finally realizes the importance of forgiveness and its relationship to Christ...

52 pages

4 m, 5 w, 1 teen boy, 1 teen girl, 1 boy, 6 girls

It is Christmas time. The Rasmussen family is gathering at Grandma's country home for the holidays. Everyone will be there - except Grandpa, who died recently. All are concerned for Grandma in her first Christmas without Grandpa, but Danni McKenna, a sort of step-granddaughter, may be the solution. Danni is now living with her stepmom, Samantha, who is Grandma's daughter. Danni has problems. She doesn't want to fit in or maybe she's decided that she can't fit in. She feels unloved and unwanted. By solving Danni's problems Grandma eases the loss of her beloved...

19 pages

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

How do you explain to three kids that from now on, every Christmas might be a Christmas apart? Ever since Lee Ann and the children started going to church, husband Jake has felt alone and unhappy, so he's moved out. It's arranged that he'll visit with the children early on Christmas Eve, then drop them at the church for the pageant they're in. Maybe he'll even stay for it. God once sent an angel to Joseph to explain the importance of creating a family. This time another "angel" brings that message to Jake. A sensitive, deeply religious play which deals with t...

32 pages

Approx. 5 m, 4 w, 7 flexible, 2 boys (small speaking), children’s choir.

Little Peggy Angel, known around Heaven for always wearing a ball cap, is very shy. But when she learns that an upcoming audition for a heavenly messenger is open to all angels, she decides to try out. This is her chance to do something important and she’s both scared and thrilled about the opportunity. That is until another angel named Diva informs Peggy that she shouldn’t waste her time auditioning for something this significant. Peggy’s confidence is crushed and it’s up to her friends to encourage her to follow her heart and attempt to become involved in t...

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...