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61093 EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
by Rene Gutteridge
GENRE: Comedy
TIME: 4–8 minutes
CAST BREAKDOWN: 1M, 2F
THEME: Love; Selflessness
CHURCH YEAR SEASON: Christmas
SUGGESTED USE: Worship Service; Bible Study
CHARACTERS:
RICHARD and CAROL—brother and sister
SANDY—their friend
SYNOPSIS: RICHARD and CAROL argue over the placement of the nativity characters until their friend SANDY reminds them that the spirit of love and giving should last the whole year, not just for the Christmas season.
PROPS: Nativity set
COSTUMES: Casual holiday attire
SOUND: 3 cordless mics
LIGHTING: General stage
SETTING: Carol's living room
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: The Christmas text
DIRECTOR'S TIP: Consider having the nativity characters be cardboard cutouts that can be laid on an overhead projector. That way, the congregation could graphically see the humorous antics Richard and Carol go through to try to get their way. If possible, you could also train a video camera on the action of a regular Nativity set and project it on a screen behind the actors' heads. Any way to amplify the humor of the "nativity wars" without distracting from the point will be a great way to bring home the main idea of the piece.
CAROL is getting Christmas decorations out of a box. RICHARD enters the room.CAROL: I just love Christmas. We get to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
RICHARD: Look what I found! The nativity set! Let's put it up.
CAROL: I don't know, Richard. I mean, remember when we were kids? We fought about where each piece would go.
RICHARD: Oh come on, Sis. That was fifteen years ago. We're adults. I think we can handle it. (CAROL looks apprehensive.) Do you want me to help set up Christmas decorations or not?
CAROL: Fine, fine. Put the nativity over there on the table.
RICHARD: Over there? Shouldn't we put it by the door so everyone who comes in can see it? (CAROL shoots him a look.) Or the table is a good place, too.
RICHARD proceeds to get the pieces out. He's placing them on the table, and CAROL is watching him, horribly distracted by what he's doing. Finally, she walks over to the table.
CAROL: You always separate the shepherds! The shepherds should be together.
RICHARD: Why? Maybe they came at different times. They don't have to all be together. They smelled so bad maybe they hated standing by each other.
CAROL: Fine, fine. Leave the shepherds. But turn Mary and Joseph in toward each other. Like a couple.
RICHARD: Who's going to notice whether or not Mary and Joseph are turned toward each other? Shouldn't they be looking at Jesus anyway?
CAROL: (Voice rising) They are looking at Jesus, while turned toward each other. (Arranges them that way) Like that.
RICHARD: Tell you what. Why don't you arrange this the way you want it, and I'll go and get the lights out of the box.
CAROL grabs the pieces and starts arranging. RICHARD pulls the lights out of the box and glances over to see what CAROL is doing. He throws up his arms and walks over.
RICHARD: Carol, you always do that!
CAROL: What?
RICHARD: You always put the wise men in front of Jesus!
CAROL: So? They're supposed to be bringing him gifts of adoration!
RICHARD: You can't even see baby Jesus, which is the whole reason we have the nativity set, if I'm not mistaken!
CAROL: So you have to look a little harder. It's no big deal.
RICHARD: Well, why don't we take him out all together, since it obviously doesn't mean that much to you.
CAROL: Oh, don't be so dramatic.
RICHARD: Dramatic? DRAMATIC? How's this for DRAMATIC? (Swipes the baby Jesus from the table.)
CAROL: What are you doing?
RICHARD: Well if you insist on keeping Jesus out of view, maybe I'll just take him to my house and put him where everyone can see him.
CAROL: He's not out of view! The Kings are giving him gifts to celebrate his birth! That's what happened!
RICHARD: Well maybe you should grab a clue from them and get your focus straight.
CAROL: Gimme that!
RICHARD: (Holding it high over his head) Give you what? Are you sure He matters to you?
CAROL: You are such a jerk!
RICHARD: Again, the meaning of the season. Peace and good will toward men. I'm a man and you're not being very peaceful or very good.
CAROL: Fine! We'll have a nativity set without the Jesus!
RICHARD: You're really missing the point here, aren't ya?
SANDY enters.
SANDY: What's going on here?
CAROL: Richard stole my Jesus!
RICHARD: Carol's hung up on gift giving and is losing her focus.
CAROL: I'm not hung up on gift giving! You know that! I simply want the three kings in front giving their gifts! Are you stupid?
RICHARD: I may be stupid but at least I know who we're celebrating this time of year.
SANDY: (Stopping both of them as they continue to argue loudly) Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Guys...hold on here. I think both of you are missing it here.
RICHARD: How can I be missing it? I'm holding Jesus and that's what this whole holiday the decorations, the lights, the music is about, isn't it?
CAROL: All I want to do is set up this nativity set so I can celebrate Jesus! But my brother won't give him to me!
SANDY: See...that's what I'm saying. Christmas is great. It's nice to remember this is when our Savior was born. But it's even better to remember him throughout the WHOLE year, not just one day or week or month. (CAROL and RICHARD are silent in thought.) I mean, why don't we leave the nativity set out all year around? Why don't we sing "Joy to the World" in July? Jesus is the same today, yesterday, tomorrow, and on Christmas.
CAROL: I'd never thought about it that way. It's weird. I mean, it just seems that around Christmas there's more of a spirit of giving, of sharing, of love, of kindness and peace.
SANDY: Are you sure about that? (Shooting them both a look)
RICHARD: Sandy's right. We make such a big deal out of Jesus at Christmas, but the rest of the year we sort of forget all that. (Looking at the Jesus in his hand) Maybe even at Christmas we forget. Here you go, Sis. Sorry.
CAROL: That's okay. You should keep it.
RICHARD: Why?
CAROL: Because the day after Christmas I plan on putting it on my mantle, to remind me what a wonderful gift God gave us for every day of the year.
Lights out.
Performance and photocopying rights:
Your purchase of this script grants your church unlimited use of these sketches within your programs and worship services. You may photocopy the script for each cast member in your church. Scripts and performance rights are not transferable between churches and cannot be resold. You may not use the sketches for any commercial or fundraising purpose, and usage rights do not extend to video, radio, television or film.Copyright © 2002 by Rene Gutteridge