Is It Really Christmas? (Adapted from online source)

Characters

Tanya: mean, nicely shaped tree

Ponyo: little, colorful tree

Jenny: proud, most beautiful, decorated tree

Tyler: big, strong tree

Betty: thin, self-confident tree

Star: Betty‟s sidekick

Angela (an angel)

Angel1: Chloe Child1: Shayne

Angel2: Dexcel Child2: Keithea

Angel3: Joshua Child3: Keisha

Angel4: Krizza Child4: Sly

Angel5: Ann Child5: Miggy

Narrator

Script

Narrator: "Is It Really Christmas?" That is the question we

ask tonight. Is it really Christmas at my house? Is it really

Christmas at your house? Because if it is really Christmas,

Jesus Christ will be the one who is being honored. After all,

he is the one whose birthday we are celebrating.

SONG: Jingle Bells / Joy to the World We all like to give and receive gifts at Christmas time. Our

play is about gifts, the special gifts that God has for us, gifts

that help us to understand why Christmas is very important.

Christmas trees wonder about these things, too, especially

those at the Holiday section of the department store.

TANYA: Oh, I‟m so excited! I heard in Magandang Gabi

Bayan that it‟s almost Christmas, and we know what that

means.

STAR: Today the children will come to buy Christmas

trees.

TANYA: I was too dusty last year, but now I'm clean and

absolutely gorgeous. I know that someone will want me to

be their Christmas tree.

STAR: I can‟t wait!

PONYO: What about me? Look at my beautiful branches.

People like colorful branches like mine! When they see me

they won't be able to resist me.

JENNY: You two are nothing compared to me. Yesterday, I

heard a gentleman say that he wanted a beautiful Christmas

tree, and he was looking at me when he said it. No one will

want you two when they see how lovely I am.

TYLER: (moving his arms up and down): See how strong

my branches are. I've been exercising them all year!

BETTY: HAHAHA, you go ahead and worry. Meanwhile,

let me just stand here and look awesome and unique. Yes,

that‟s what I will do. Excuse me!

TANYA: Pft. Silly, Betty. How can you be a Christmas

tree? You can‟t lift your branches and even your own star!

STAR: (acts angry)

BETTY: Hold it, star. Now what are you talking about? My

branches are one of a kind! I‟m not like you regular trees

that people can find everywhere.

STAR: Yeeeaah.

JENNY: But, look at your shape Betty. Your branches all

point downward. How could you hold decorations in them?

What a joke!

BETTY: Just you wait and see. You will be so jealous.

STAR: Wait and see!

TYLER: Sorry about that, star. We think Betty is too thin

for a Christmas tree.

(Pause) Listen. I think I can hear someone coming.

TANYA: It's them.

STAR: It's the children!

TYLER: They are coming to choose their Christmas trees!

PONYO: I'm so excited; my leaves are trembling. I want to

look real cool.

JENNY: I'll just arrange myself so that they see my best

side first. Then I will be irresistible.

TYLER: Sssshhh! All of you. The children are here.

Background music: Jingle Bells/Joy to the

World instru.

Trees freeze

Child1 SHAYN: (walking around looking carefully at each

tree): Oh, there are not many trees left to choose from....

now let's see ...

Child2 KEITHEA: I think I'll take this one. (Chooses

TYLER) It looks big and strong. I'm hoping for some

mighty big gifts this Christmas.

Child1 SHAYN: Perhaps this one would be best. (Chooses

TANYA)

Child3 KEISHA: This one will be okay for me. It will look

great with our new set of lights on it. (Chooses JENNY)

Child4 SLY: I'll take this one. It is a fine looking tree.

(Chooses PONYO).

Child5 MIGGY: Hey, what about the rest of us? You've

taken all the proper Christmas trees. I'm not having that

funny looking one over there. (Points to BETTY.) Oh well,

never mind. We will just go to another holiday store. Come

on, guys.

(The children leave with their trees. BETTY is left all

alone).

STAR: (mouth agape) Oh no…

BETTY: I can‟t believe this! This is so unfair. I‟m a

wonderful tree, can‟t they see?

(Angelo enters)

ANGELO (pauses to listen): What was that?

BETTY: Unfair! Absolutely unbelievable! (Grumbling)

STAR: So unfair.

ANGELO: It's coming from over there.

What a funny tree. Trees don't usually complain. You‟re

supposed to bring happiness to any house.

BETTY: I‟m sulking because no one picked me to be their

Christmas Tree this year. They chose the average trees and

can‟t see that I‟m better than any one of them!

STAR: Uh-huh…Betty is better.

ANGELO: I think you‟re okay for a tree, but being

beautiful is more that just looking good on the outside.

I'm sure we can do something for you. (Whistles to call

other angels)

Angels1-5: “You say that you want to be a Christmas tree?”

BETTY: Yes, I do.

STAR: I saw a picture of a Christmas tree once. It was

covered with Christmas lights and it had pretty stuff on it.

BETTY: I want to be just like that.

ANGELO: Let's see what we can do, then.

Angels 1-5: Angels at your service.

SONG: Lend a Hand (LL ML)

ANGELO: What do you think?

BETTY: I like that song. It‟s always a good thing to help

and lend a hand.

Angel1 CHLOE: What about gifts?

Angel5 ANN: She can't be a Christmas tree without gifts.

Angelo: Hehehe, don‟t worry. I didn‟t forget. So? Where

are they?

Angel4 KRIZZA: Let‟s go get them.

STAR: Oh, wonderful!

BETTY: I heard a little girl say that a Barbie doll was the

best gift in the world. I‟m sure you have one for me.

Angel2 DEXCEL: No, not a Barbie doll.

Angel1: CHLOE: …or a teddy bear.

ANGELO: …or a new computer game. Nothing like that.

Those gifts will wear out.

Angel4 KRIZZA: The gifts we bring are gifts that last

forever.

BETTY: I didn't know that any gifts would last forever. I

can't wait to see them.

STAR: I can‟t wait!

ANGELS 1-5: We bring special gifts from our Master,

Jesus.

ANGELO: It is good that a tree should display his gifts

because Jesus is sometimes called the tree of life. He brings

a new and better kind of life to everyone who knows him.

Let‟s bring Jesus' special gifts to the tree.

(Angels 1-5 line up near the back of the stage)

(STAR gets something to write on)

ANGELO: Now who‟s up first?

Angel1 CHLOE: I bring the gift of love. (The first Angel

places a gift wrapped box with a heart picture at the foot of

the tree.)

BETTY: Love! I know all about love! I love myself! Tell

me about this gift of love anyway.

SONG: Then Love Came Down (HL)

ANGELO: Love --this is God's love for us all, shown by

Jesus' death on a cross to set us free. Now, who‟s next?

Angel2 DEXCEL: I bring the gift of forgiveness.

BETTY BALITI: Forgiveness. Why do I need that gift?

ANGELA: God does not want us to be unforgiving to

others when He has readily forgiven us of the wrong things

we do.

Angel2 DEXCEL: It‟s a gift we should share with

everyone. It‟s a really great gift, here, for you.

Angel3 JOSHUA: I bring the gift of peace.

BETTY BALITI : Peace! HA! The people I've seen don't

seem to know much about peace.

Angel3 JOSHUA: No, to have this gift you must give your

life to Jesus and then you will receive God's peace.

(The 3rd angel places her gift by the tree and the fourth

angel comes forward.)

Angel4 KRIZZA: I bring the gift of abundant life.

BETTY BALITI: Life, I know what that means. But

abundant, that's a big word.

ANGELO: Knowing Jesus makes life full and exciting.

Angel4 KRIZZA: That's what we mean by ab—abun--

abundant. (Calls to Ann) It‟s your turn.

Angel5 ANN: I bring God's gift of everlasting life.

SONG: John 3:16 (Preschool)

BETTY: Thanks! I like the sound of that gift. Everlasting

life. How wonderful!

ANGELO: I‟ve noticed that your star is so busy. What have

you got there?

STAR: I made a list so I won‟t forget. Love, forgiveness,

peace, abundant life, and everlasting life.

ANGELS 1-5: All these gifts are available to those who

believe in Jesus.

BETTY: I've never known gifts like these. Thank you so

much!

ANGELO: Wait, listen........ I think the other trees are

coming back.

Angels 1-5: Quick, let's hide! Run! (Hides „backstage‟)

( The four Christmas trees stagger in trailing torn crepe

paper and tinsel.)

TANYA: I'm exhausted. I can't go another step. I ache all

over. And look at my star. It's a mess.

PONYO (with an arm drooping): If that is what it is like to

be a Christmas tree, I hope I don't have to do that again.

Would you believe this. A child tied a basketball onto my

best branch, and now, look at me, I'm permanently disabled.

JENNY (sadly): I used to be so beautiful. I'll never be the

same again. Those kids grabbed and snatched and pulled

great chunks out of me when they took their gifts.

TYLER: You think that you've had a hard time ... what

about me? They cut me down to size and forgot that they

were supposed to bring me back. They just threw me out

with their garbage!

TANYA: What‟s the use of Christmas with uncaring people

like that!

PONYO (Rubbing the drooping arm): Christmas is

supposed to have love in it.

JENNY: Where I was I only saw grab, grab, grab.

TYLER: Christmas must be meant to be better than this. I

wish someone would show us what it should be like.

BETTY: ehemm..Hi guys.

(The trees turn and notice Betty for the first time).

TANYA: Look at Betty!

PONYO: She's a Christmas tree.

JENNY: She is beautiful.

TYLER: What happened Betty?

STAR: It was very exciting.

BETTY: I am a real Christmas tree now. Some dear little

angels came and brought me these gifts from God. The

angels said these gifts are for everyone. I want to share

these with you.

(Betty gives the gifts to the other trees. Star helps her.)

TANYA: They are better gifts than the ones they tied on

me.

PONYO: Yes, these gifts are real.

JENNY: They are the best gifts.

(They say thanks individually but Tanya personally

approaches Betty.)

TANYA: Thank you for sharing the gift of forgiveness to

me, Betty. I‟m sorry for being mean to you.

BETTY: I forgave you already. Forgive me, too?

TANYA: (nods, smiles, hugs each other)

PONYO: I think it‟s going to be a wonderful Christmas for

everybody. I can‟t wait!

STAR: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

SONG: CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE (ABCs

and LL)