Unwrapping Christmas This drama can be interspersed with carols to make a full service. 8-20+ Characters: Nik Nak the Alien Narrators 1 and 2 Hurrying Woman Rushing Man Tom Lucy Kindly Old Woman Father Christmas Vicar Children Mary Joseph Shepherds Wise Men Angels The characters mime to the narrators, and the cast can make sound effects or lead the congregation in making them! To augment the cast you can add characters out of each tale such as the family with three daughters in the Father Christmas scene. Or use less characters by doubling the rushing man and woman with the Kindly Old Woman/Father Christmas/the Vicar and omitting the nativity tableau. The Narrators can be quite competitive with each other to give them some characterisation. Narrator Two is not as cheerful as Narrator One. Scene One: Nik Nak, The alien from the planet Zor, Was looking out with his Super deluxe Multi-focus Multi-phonic Multi-function Multi. Er coloured 1
Narr. 2: Narr. 2: Narr. 2: Telescope One day When he saw something unusual In the solar system. There was music And coloured lights Coming from all around the Planet Earth. Nik Nak decided to investigate. So he packed up his Extra-terrestrial Extra-functioning Extra-ordinary Extra.large Travelling suit-case And zoomed off in his tiny space capsule Down to Earth. He landed in a field Of cows (mooing noises by cast) And sheep (baaing) And horses (continue noises etc) And chickens And elephants! Now you re just being silly! He was in India. 2
Oh. No. He thought he had landed in India; but actually it was just outside West Midlands Safari Park. Hem. Anyway. Nik Nak got out of his little tiny space capsule and went off exploring. He tried to hear the sounds he had heard from space - the beautiful angelic singing - But he could only hear Cows Sheep Horses Chickens And. Elephants (raising his/her eyes) So off he went to the nearest town. Nik Nak travels around. Scene Two The town was all brightly lit with coloured lights The kind that Nik Nak had seen with his Super Deluxe Multi-focus Multi. Oh for heaven s sake telescope! Nik Nak knew he was in the right place. A woman hurries past Excuse me. He called to a passer-by. 3
But she Passed by Rather hurriedly. Man comes on in a rush. Nik Nak falls into pace with him. Man: Nik Nak tried again. Excuse me! Can you tell me what the lights are for? (as he rushes onwards) Why, Christmas of course. Christmas. Everyone knows that. Bloomin nuisance it is too (He continues as he rushes off. Nik Nak stops and watches him go) Too much fuss and palaver for anyone. Christmas. Hmm. Christmas. And he programmed the word into his Lonely Universe Guide to the Earth. Nik Nak taps into a hand held computer. Christmas. Ah here it is. The celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ born 4 BC, accompanied by many miracles. Hmm. What s BC? (taps into computer) Before Christ? Eh? He was born four years before he was born well that s a miracle in itself! What else does it say? Christmas. Commonly celebrated on December 25 th... (checks his watch) oh, I m early. Jesus was born in a stable into a poor family surrounded by farm animals. Hmmm, that accounts for the noisy landing. Doesn t mention any elephants, though. (nudges Narr 1) See, told you so. Shhh! Tom and Lucy come on and watch Nik Nak with interest. Doesn t say anything about coloured lights oh, it mentions a star but these are nothing like stars. I need to ask someone. He looks lost. Shall we help him? Mum says never to talk to strangers - and boy, is he strange! Well I m going to. He looks interesting. I ll stay here and scream if anything happens. 4
Ok. Hey mister! Are you lost? Oh hello! I m Nik Nak and I m from another planet. Telling me. I m trying to find out about Christmas. Hey Lucy, he wants to find out about Christmas. Lucy comes forward cautiously. What do you want to know? Why are there coloured lights? To celebrate, of course. It s a party? For Jesus Birthday? I don t know about that, but we always have coloured lights in the main streets and houses around Christmas. It s tradition. Tradition? Oh,I see. Something that has grown into a custom. Whatever. Don t they have Christmas where you re from? No. this is my first time. Are there many traditions? Oh yes, loads. Father Christmas. Christmas trees. Presents. Crackers. Stockings. Cards. Carols. A games console! A Barbie Dream house! 5
Children: Children: Children: Children: Children: Stop. Stop! Please tell me all about them, and how on Earth they are linked with a baby born in a stable 2000 years ago. So the children sat down with Nik Nak and began to explain the celebration and traditions of Christmas. They told him all about the parties And presents. And the family visits And presents. And Father Christmas And presents. And Christmas trees And presents! Until Nik Nak felt sure that Christmas must be all about (shouting) Presents! For it seemed that this was the most important thing for the children. The children get up to leave We have to go now. See you later. Thanks for your help. Tom and Bye. Happy Christmas! The children wave and go off. Scene Three Nik Nak wondered how presents had anything to do with Jesus in a stable surrounded by animals. How had this tradition grown up? And all the other traditions. Something to do with a Father 6
A tree And a big sock! None of that made any sense at all. Nik Nak sat down wondering where to go next. Enter Kindly Old Woman (Old Woman) Just then a kindly old woman came past walking her dog. (She has a toy dog on a stiff wire lead) Hello there. Are you alright? Can I help you at all? Well, I m just trying to understand Christmas. So far I ve discovered it s a bloomin nuisance and is all about getting presents. Oh, there s much more to it than that, dearie. You see, God s present to us is Jesus, His Son, so we celebrate by giving presents to others. I see. And there were gifts too at the first Christmas. Optional: to have Mary and Joseph and shepherds come on and act this part; plus wise men when appropriate. Really? A games console, that boy mentioned, and a Barbie Dream-house? No, nothing like that. Jesus had some visitors you know, shepherds and wise men, and people like to bring gifts to a newborn baby. Visitors? Yes. Some shepherds came to see him and probably gave him a lamb. Lambs were very special the perfect ones were always saved for the Temple to pay for people s sins. Poor people couldn t afford lambs, so they gave doves or smaller things. The gift of a lamb would have been really special. You said wise men? Yes. Some people call them the Three Kings Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar. They came from the East, probably from Persia (now modern Iran and Iraq) and were very learned people, real scientists as clever as anyone today. They followed a star and understood its meaning. 7
Oh, the star. Yes, followed it right to the stable; to visit the great King who had been born, baby Jesus. They brought presents? Yes, they brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. No games console or Barbie? No. The gifts were symbolic: Gold for a King, Frankincense for Holiness; and myrrh, well myrrh was for death. Eugh! Is that normal? No, very unusual. They nearly brought the baby his death too. Eh? Now that is a bad present! Humph. They need to take better advice on their present choosing. Oh, it was an accident really, dearie. They knew he was a great king, so naturally they went to the palace. But when the King (Herod he was called) heard about this, he tried to get the wise men to lead him to the baby. They managed to leave before he did, but Herod still killed all the baby boys in the kingdom just to make sure. All of them? Yes. How awful! Did Jesus survive? The family were warned in a dream to go to Egypt, so they escaped too. Well at least I understand about the present bit now. Though how games consoles and Barbie fit in I don t know. Well, good luck with the other bits. I should go into that shop there if I were you. You might find someone to help you in there. Just ask for Father Christmas! Oh thank you. He must be very old indeed. I wonder if he s related to Father Time? (chuckling) Happy Christmas, dearie. Happy Christmas to you too. She goes off. 8
And off the Kindly Old Woman went to finish her shopping. Scene Four Nik Nak was very pleased with what he d found out so far. Now he looked in the shop and saw a group of children around a jolly fat man with a long white beard, all dressed in red. Well, he looks very old! It must be him. And he went off to explore. Father Christmas is sat with children gathered around him. Ho ho ho!! Well, he certainly seems friendly enough. Have you been good boys and girls? Children: Oh yes! Yes Father Christmas! Yes, Santa Claus! year? (to Nik Nak) And what about you? Have you been good this (uncomfortably) Well. There was that incident with the time capsule and the sledgehammer Ho ho ho. Very funny. I wasn t joking. Actually I wanted to ask you something if you re not too busy? Here you are, children (giving them presents) Off you go. And remember to be good. Ah presents. Now what can I do for you? Do I have to sit on your knee? Ho ho ho! No preferably not. (sympathetically) Oh yes. My grandfather s knees are very painful and he s only 453. Yours must be agony! Father Christmas laughs. 9
You do laugh a lot. It s in the job description laugh at every possible opportunity. Oh. Now what did you want to know? Nik Nak. Nik Nak. Well you re called Father Christmas? Used to be now it s more Santa Claus the American influence I m afraid. But then it s more true to my real name anyway - Saint Niclaus. Well I haven t seen anything to do with a big red man in the story of baby Jesus. No, you wouldn t! Well, what do you have to do with Christmas then? There s a very good book all about my story, called The True History of Santa Claus. Can t remember who it s by. You really should read it! Anyway, my real name is Niclaus, and I lived in Turkey. Yes, I heard turkey was something to do with Christmas. (laughing) No, not that kind of turkey. I lived in the Mediterranean country Turkey, not Greenland or the North Pole or anywhere else. I lived a long time ago, about 1800 years ago. (wisely) Yes. I can tell that by the beard. That must have taken centuries to grow. Hem! Well. So Father Christmas told Nik Nak how he went from being a poor church leader in ancient Turkey - How he became famous for doing good works Eventually being named Saint Niclaus Or Santa Niclaus in some languages, Which became Santa Claus. 10
You have a lot to do with Christmas? I do now, but I didn t then. My most important thing was being sent to prison because of my faith. That was when the Romans hated Christians. Hmmm. I wonder what the parents would say if they knew their kids were sitting on the knees of an ex-con?! Well, it was more important than filling stockings. Oh the big socks are your idea?! Who has such big feet? Were they hanging in Jesus stable? Well And he told Nik Nak how a poor family in his village were starving and couldn t afford the dowry for the three daughters to get married. The father decided that he had better sell the daughters instead. Niclaus heard about this. But, so he didn t offend the father s pride He decided to give a secret gift. He climbed up on to the roof And dropped three bags of coins down the chimney. Each one fell into the girls stocking that were hanging out to dry. The family was saved! And now everyone hangs up stockings and hopes to find them filled by Father Christmas on Christmas morning. It s strange how these stories all become part of the Christmas tale, when really they re nothing to do with it. Yes, like my red clothes and big white beard. All invented in the last two hundred years. Along with Christmas trees, cards and crackers. Really? Trees were invented that recently? And I thought they had been around forever! Wow! The things you learn. No. Not trees! Only the idea of cutting them down and putting them in your living room. Yes, what is the point of that? Wouldn t a nice bunch of pretty flowers be much better? Decorating dead trees in your house. Very strange I think. 11
So Father Christmas explained the story of how one day a forester was cutting down a dead old tree and inside he found a baby tree, new life, sheltering within it. It was the symbol of new life, like the baby Jesus, who eventually died to bring new life for others. It s very complicated. Most people forget the meaning and just have fun. Some more children come on and gather round Father Christmas I d better get back to work. (concerned) Yes you haven t ho ho ho ed for positively minutes! You ll be getting into trouble. Ho ho ho! Thank you for your time. Any time, little stranger. Ho ho ho! Father Christmas goes off with the children. Scene Five Nik Nak s head was spinning with all the information he has been given about Christmas traditions. So very few seemed to really come from the first Christmas - Though the ideas of giving and new life fitted well. Nik Nak wondered who he could ask to fill in the last questions in his mind - Why did Jesus come to earth, nto a dirty stable as a baby, if he was going to die anyway? And how come he was so special that he was still celebrated over 2000 years later! Just then a vicar came past on his/her way into the nearby church. Excuse me, sir/madam. Yes, can I help you? I m trying to understand Christmas. 12
Well, I shall try and help you. I am vicar of this church here, you know. You can tell by the dog-collar. Where is your lead, or have you lost it? My lead?! I don t understand. Well, if you have a dog collar you must have a lead too. (laughing) Oh no, it s not a real dog s collar, just called that because it looks a bit like one! What do you want to know about Christmas? Nik Nak explained what the children had told him about presents; What the kindly old woman had told him about the first gifts; And what Father Christmas had told him about Saint Niclaus and Christmas trees. Well, you seem to know a lot more than most people. What do you want to know now? Well, if it was such an important occasion that it is still celebrated 2000 years later, why was it all so small and dirty. A baby. A stable. Followed by escaping death, only to be killed later anyway! What was it all for?! Ah, now we come to the real meaning of Christmas! All the things you mentioned before are the trappings, the extras, the tinsel and the wrapping paper. Some people get stuck in the wrapping paper, and never really find the present inside. Oh dear, that s a bit of a waste. Yes, I think so too. Come here to my church, I have something to help you. He takes Nik Nak across to see a Nativity set. The vicar sat down with Nik Nak and showed him the nativity scene. As each character is mentioned, the actor may enter and take up a pose, gradually forming the traditional nativity scene. This is Mary, just a girl. God spoke to her to tell her she was pregnant before she was married. It proved that she was pure and the child could only be God s. Her husband-to-be Joseph was very upset. How could he believe that it really was God s child, not another man s? Who could believe that?! 13
But God spoke to him and calmed his fears. Did you know, they were living in the wrong place to fulfil God s promises? Wrong place? Well, they lived in the north, in Nazareth and all the promises pointed to Bethlehem, the City of David, Joseph s royal ancestor. Oooh dear, big mistake! No, it only showed God s power even more. An imperial command sent all the way from Rome itself (the centre of the world in those times) told everyone they had to go back to their ancestral home. So Joseph had to go to Bethlehem anyway. By God s design, not his. so the baby was born where it was supposed to be? Sort of. Everyone was travelling, so the inns were all full. Everyone slept together in large rooms - No place for a woman to give birth decently. What happened? What happened?! Finally they were offered a stable Oh yes! The stable. It was the only available space. So the baby was born. With the animals all around for company? Something like that. And then the shepherds came, bringing their lamb offering. That s right. Called by choirs of angels. Ah, singing. I knew there was something else. 14
Oh yes. Lots of carols and beautiful music at Christmas, as long as you don t count the Christmas number One. Then the Wise Men, following the star. Bringing their gifts. and nearly bringing death. So there they all are. Yes. and? And what?! What s it all for? It s got to be more than a pretty picture for a Christmas card. God sent his Son Jesus to be born as a baby So he could share our troubles Be part of this world Be truly human Yet still God. So why did he end up dying then? He had to die. Like the lamb sacrifice for the Temple that paid for the sins. Jesus was our sacrifice to pay for everyone s sins. Why did it have to be him? He was the only person who was pure enough. Perfect. Like it was only the perfect lamb that could be brought to the Temple. So he died. And rose again. What? He rose again. He is with us now. Alive forever. Which bit of Christmas is that? 15
That s Easter, not Christmas. The other great Christian festival. You ll have to come back again then. Yes, I think I have enough trouble understanding Christmas. But I think I see how it all fits together. God s love; gift to us giving gifts to one another. Showing love that s the real present, isn t it? The rest is just tinsel and wrapping paper. You ve got it! The heart of Christmas is love; in its many different forms. I d better go back and write a report on all this. Happy Christmas to you! And a loving Christmas to you too. The vicar leaves, waving. And Nik Nak climbed back into his tiny capsule Took one more look at the brightly coloured lights, And set his course for home With the Christmas joy and love in his heart. Nik Nak exits, leaving the Christmas nativity tableau. * * * 16