The Presents are under the Christmas tree waiting to be opened. Each boasting about how special they are. The nativity scene characters teach the Presents a lesson on who is the most important gift of all: Jesus.
Specially scripted for larger groups this short Christmas play can be performed with 25 - 30 actors (or more!). In fact you can use as many actors as you want to! This is ideal for a Christian School or Children's Church to present as the older children / teens can play the speaking roles and younger children can play the non-speaking roles of characters in the Nativity scene.
Characters:
- Presents 1 to 12 (can be boy or girl) – Dressed as wrapped presents, but with their arms and legs extruding. Note 5 is wrapped as a ball, 6 is marked fragile, 7 is small, 8 is very large, 9 has a fancy bow, 11 has foil wrapping, 12 is over wrapped with lots of stickers and glitter.
- Narrator
- Angel (boy or girl)
- Mary
- Joseph
- Kings 1,2,3
- Shepherd 1
Characters with non speaking roles:
- Shepherds for nativity scene
- Animals for nativity scene
- Extra presents if required.
Length: 5 - 10 Minutes
Cast: 25 to 30 actors (Or more! The characters are mostly interchangeable between male and female actors).
Price: $15 (Buy once, download, and then print as many copies as you need for your actors).
Scene: A family living room on Christmas eve. An over sized fireplace with mantel from which is hanging 5 large stockings is center. To the left on the hearth is a posed nativity scene, Mary, baby, Joseph, Kings, shepherds, animals etc under a basic stable frame. To the right can be seen the bottom of what must be a big Christmas tree. Under it the presents are gathered ready for Christmas morning/eve. All is tidy and ordered.
*Note: Whether the presents are to be opened Christmas eve after church as in some cultures / traditions, or Christmas morning as in others, can be easily accommodated by minor changes to Narrators/Angels lines.
Narrator: It is Christmas eve. The house is all quiet. The family is sleeping (or is at Church)*. The presents are waiting under the tree.
Present One: (stretches out arms and yawns) I am so bored.
Suddenly the presents start stirring, wiggling about. Over on the other side of the stage the nativity characters relax from their poses. One shepherd moves and sits/stands slightly apart and keeps watch.
Present 2: Me too
Present 3: How much longer before we are opened?
Present 4: I’m getting a numb bottom from all this sitting around.
Present 5: (A wrapped ball) You are lucky you can sit. Every time I sit down I roll away on the floor. Last time I rolled away the dog almost got me, someone had left the door open.
Present 6: (Whining) I have to be very careful how I sit. Fragile I am. Can’t be bumped.
Present 7: And I’m so small, you (points to Present 8 who is very large) sat on me and almost quashed me!
Present 8: (Pompous) Sorry! Couldn’t see behind me, being so big and all that. Anyway, someone small like you should know to keep out of the way of someone large and important like me!
Present 6: Who says you are important?
Present 8: Big is best. Everyone knows that.
Present 7: (Indignant) The best things come in small packages!
Present 9: I’ve got the prettiest bow. I think that makes me the most important.
Present 10: No. You’re all wrong. I’m the most important! It’s what’s inside that counts. Everyone’s heard that before.
Present 1: So what’s inside you then?
Present 10: The latest transforming, super charged, dynamite racer. That’s what!
All Presents: Oohhhh.
Present 6: Who cares what you are. I’m a gift for a very special person. That’s more important. It’s people that count, not things!
(A short pause while the presents think about it).
Present 11: Foil!
All Presents: What?
Present 11: Foil. Foil is the superior wrapping. It’s all about looks.
Present 9: My bow is nicer than your foil. It curls at the end. See? (catwalk models the bow).
Present 12: I’ve got stickers, I’m the best wrapped. And look at all my glitter.
Present 2: Well I’m hand-made with love and care.
All Presents: Oohh!
Present 1: Guess you can’t beat that.
Present 8: (Dismissive) Yeah, yeah, whatever. I still think big is best.
Present 7: Small, the best things come in small packages.
Present 11: Foil, it’s all about foil.
Present 9: My bow!
Present 2: Handmade!
Present 10: It’s what’s inside that counts.
(The presents start arguing and a fight threatens to break out as they argue and shove under the tree, each sure they are better than the others. The Christmas tree Angel appears from behind the tree.)
Angel: Stop, stop. What’s all the noise. You’re shaking the tree. I am trying to look peaceful and serene on the highest point of the tree, but all I can hear is you lot arguing, and then the tree starts rocking!
Present 8: It’s all their fault. They don’t know that big is best.
Present 2: Hand made!
Present 9: Prettiest is best.
Present 12: Yeah, and that’s me!
(The arguing starts to break out again. The angel raises his/her hand)
Angel: Quiet…QUIET! That’s what you are arguing about? Who’s the best present? Oh dear me. It’s time you all met Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.
(The angel leads the presents over to the nativity scene. There’s still a bit of pushing and shoving on the way. The nativity characters have been quietly relaxing since the presents started talking and they have not been taking any notice of the presents arguments. As they approach the shepherd keeping watch leaps up)
Shepherd 1: Look sharp everyone! Audience approaching!
(The nativity scene characters quickly assemble themselves back into a typical nativity pose)
Angel: Greetings!
Mary: Oh it’s you Angel. Hello again.
Nativity characters: (En masse) “Hello, nice to see you again” etc. (They relax again but stay in position)
Angel: Now Joseph, can you point to the most important present here.
... the script continues.
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