(a mother enters surrounded by MANY [5-8] children, they seat themselves with all the children snuggling in close to their mother, listening attentively as she tells them a Christmas bedtime story)
MOTHER:
(looking about at all the children, ruffling their hair, patting their shoulders) God made us, and loved us sooooooo much, that He did something that the Bible calls "His unspeakable gift" -- He sent us His own Son to die for us, so that we can live forever. That was the tiny baby in the middle of that filthy stable, surrounded by animals. That was God.
BILLY:
(in wide-eyed childish wonder) That was God!
(all the kids smile and look at each other)
MOTHER:
Yes, Billy, THAT was God. He had become a human, just like us. And He came into the world the same route as us. He was tiny, and weak, and helpless. He loved us that much. His Father loved us that much. You know, that was the most incredible gift we EVER received.
BILLY:
(in wide-eyed childish wonder) THAT WAS GOD!
MOTHER:
Yes, Billy, that was God. And THAT is the REAL CHRISTMAS. Okay, now you should all hurry off to bed, if you want to open those presents in the morning.
STEVIE:
(terribly excited) MOOOOM! Can't we go open up just ONE present right now?
ALISON:
(great big sisterly scorn) Oh, don't be such a BABY, Stevie!
ALICIA:
Please Mama! Please!
BILLY:
(in wide-eyed childish wonder, to all his siblings) THAT WAS GOD!
ALISON:
(the cop) Come on kids, you heard Mother. Everyone to bed!
STEVIE:
(the tattle-tale) Oh you're just SUCH A COP! You're ONLY two years older than ME, you know! (smiling, evilly) Oh, yeah, and . . . Mom, I saw her shaking her presents earlier today!
MOTHER:
Alison!
ALISON:
(embarrassed) Well, it was just ONE shake, on ONE present.
ALICIA:
(excited, getting up to run to the Christmas tree) I'm going to go shake one, too!
MOTHER:
Alicia, you stay away from that tree! (giving Alison a stern look) Hopefully you can be a bit more mature than your BIG sister...
BILLY:
Mama, where was Santa when Baby Jesus was born? Was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer's nose really the star that the Wise Guys saw?
STEVIE:
What a complete dope. He still believes in Santa Claus!
ALICIA:
(shocked) You mean there ISN'T a Santa Claus?
MOTHER:
Now you know kids, I've always taught you that Santa Claus is just a nice story. He is for fun. The real reason for Christmas -- the REAL CHRISTMAS -- is Jesus. Now everyone off to bed before Papa gets home. He's going to be reeeaaaal tired, and you know he can be a real bear when he's worked all that overtime...
BILLY:
(excited) Papa is the Christmas Bear! Papa is the Christmas Bear!
(the other kids pick up the chant)
KIDS:
(chanting, having fun) PAPA IS THE CHRISTMAS BEAR! PAPA IS THE CHRISTMAS BEAR! PAPA IS THE CHRISTMAS BEAR!
PAPA:
(entering, surprised the kids are still up) Oh no! Someone let a circus into my house! Sweetheart! What in the world are all these kids doing here? And who ARE all these kids?
MOTHER:
Oh, these are all your children!
KIDS:
(circling him, laughing quietly, patting him, hugging him) Papa is the Christmas Bear! Watch out, Papa is tired and grouchy, he is the Christmas Bear! Stay out of Papa's way, he's the Christmas Bear!
PAPA:
(exhausted) Oh you should all be in bed! (checks watch) Look at it, it's already MIDNIGHT! If you don't all get in your beds I REALLY WILL TURN INTO A CHRISTMAS BEAR! Uh-oh! I feel my face getting furrier! (making a deep growly voice) I seem to be getting hungry for little children! (growling loudly) Hungry for children who are out of bed! (pretends to be a bear) I SEE children out of bed!
KIDS:
(getting more and more excited as Papa transforms into bear, rush about squealing and quietly screaming in delight) Hurry! Watch out for him! He really is a Christmas bear! (they rush and disappear to their beds)
PAPA:
(slumping in exhaustion, sitting on floor) Ohhhh. You know, Sweetheart, I don't think I understand where all these kids came from...
MOTHER:
(getting behind him, massaging his shoulders) Well, Darling, that could be why we have so many of them!
PAPA:
You know, I seem to remember a decision way back in the dawn of mankind's history: Should we start a family? Or go to Hawaii? (monotone, mirthless) Should we have kids? (energized, excited) Or go to Hawaii?
MOTHER:
(snuggling down, hugging him from behind) I think we made the BEST decision.
PAPA:
(thinking) You know, they are kind of the gift that keeps on giving. In fact, I thank God every single day that I have them. That He gave me such wonderful gifts . . . Christmas gifts throughout the year, over the years. And I thank God He gave me YOU, Sweetheart.
MOTHER:
God has been so good to us.
PAPA:
I just wish I could give all of you MORE for Christmas. A few more presents. But it seems the harder I work the less money I bring home. I wish I could have gotten a better tree. I wish I could just give more!
MOTHER:
(squeezing him) You are giving EVERYTHING. You are giving YOURSELF, to us. It shows your love for us! Like how it shows God's love for us, how He gave His only Son...
PAPA:
(considering) You think of it that way, Christmas is pretty wonderful, don't you think?
MOTHER:
(helping him up) Yes. Christmas is wonderful. Jesus is Wonderful. And you know, Darling, I thank God every day that he gave me YOU as a gift...
(they kiss, and exit)
__________________________________________
Completely free Christian scripts, sketches, mimes.
Always a parable. Storytelling making the difference.
Soldier On. You were created on purpose.
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