BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER 

– written by Tanis Harms

TOPIC:        the Christmas gift, salvation
SCRIPTURE:    Eph.2:8; James 1:17
Style:        drama/conversation: teens discuss
.             the gift-giving process of Christmas
Cast:         PENNY, SIMON, TEENS 1-2
.      NOTE:  with more actors, you can reassign and/or
.             split TEEN lines as it makes sense
Set & Props:  chairs, schoolbooks, paper, pen

SCRIPT:

(SIMON and TEENS sit around “trying” to study,

when PENNY enters a school classroom and looks around.)

SIMON    (mocking a teacher’s voice)  YOU’RRRRE LATE!

PENNY    Sorry!  Ah, where’s the teacher?

TEEN 1   Had to step out.  We’re supposed to be

.        working on the assignment.

SIMON    A stupid assignment.

PENNY    What is it?  What did I miss?

TEEN 1   (casually)  Not much, really.

TEEN 2   (saying it hoping kids would ask)

.        We’re supposed to write an essay about
.        the best CHRISTMAS present we’ve ever got.

SIMON    Which I objected to – because it’s based

.        on a religious topic and ritual.

PENNY    Did you get out of having to do the assignment?

TEEN 1   Teacher quickly switched it to:

.        write an essay about the “best present ever.”
.        She dropped the whole holiday gift
.        exchange-thing.

SIMON    Whatever – it’s all the same.

PENNY    You mean you guys can’t think of anything      2

.        to write about?  Seems like a pretty easy
.        topic.

TEEN 2   Totally easy!  No contest!  Last Christmas –

.        I got a car!  And not just any car –
.        a shiny, red - 2011 - (make the year current)
.        convertible classic Corvette!

TEEN 1   Sweet.

TEEN 2   Yeah, it was.  I’m just curious how

.        my parents are going to top that THIS year.
SIMON    You actually expect your parents to top that?

TEEN 2   Of course!  ‘Cause that’s how we roll!

.        I always get what I want.

TEEN 1   I’m afraid to ask what you want next.

TEEN 2   It just better start with the letter “SEE”ing

.        and ending with the letter “EEUUU”rope.

SIMON    If I ever dared to hint at such a thing-

.        well, I’d be crazy to hint at such a thing.
.        Might as well say the planet Mars!  My parents
.        already think that I’m from another planet.
.        Huh!  I think THEY’RE from another planet.

TEEN 2   So - your family doesn’t celebrate

.        anything at this time of year?

SIMON    Celebrate?  No!  We do traditional things like-

.        ARGUE!  We argue about how the tree
.        should be decorated – then argue about who
.        has to take it down.  The adults argue about
.        who should cut the turkey.  The kids argue
.        about who should sit at the adult table.
.        We pretty much argue about everything.

TEEN 2   So you DO get gifts?

SIMON    Yeah.

TEEN 2   And?

SIMON    They’re okay.  We’ll always get the latest     3

.        electronic gadget and other stuff like that.
.        Mom and Dad make sure they spend a bit of money
.        on us so they don’t feel guilty about
.        ignoring us for the rest of the year.

(PENNY pulls out some paper and begins to write.)

TEEN 1   At least you get cool gifts.  Mine are always-
.        practical.  It’s hard to act surprised when
.        you always get a Tee-shirt and socks.  Or-
.        (mock surprise)  SOAP?  How did you ever guess
.        I had an issue with wanting to stay clean?

SIMON    Well, I’d probably appreciate my gifts

.        a lot more if I thought they cared.

(SIMON notices PENNY writing.)

SIMON    Looks like someone has something to write about.

TEEN 2   Just curious, Penny, because I know your

.        family doesn’t have much – and you get
.        permission to come to school late because
.        your dad’s in the hospital again.

TEEN 1   (annoyed with TEEN 2 and cuts in)

.        Well?  What’s YOUR best Christmas gift?

PENNY    (looking up)  Oh, ah, well, it would be –

TEEN 2   Doesn’t sound like you think it’s that great.

PENNY    Oh, it’s the greatest!  There’s nothing

.        that could ever compare with it.

TEEN 2   So?  Do tell!

PENNY    The greatest gift I ever got was Jesus-

SIMON    You mean that Christmas-baby-thing?

TEEN 1   Do NOT tell my mom about any baby-thing.

.        She would FREAK!

TEEN 2   She hates babies?

SIMON    After having you, she probably never           4

.        wanted another baby ever again?

TEEN 1   No, she WANTS to have another baby.

.        She’s baby-crazy!

SIMON    Because after having you – she wants to see

.        if she can do any better?

TEEN 2   Simon!  Stop being a bully!

SIMON    Sorry.

TEEN 2   (to PENNY)  Continue, please.  I’m still curious

.        to hear how some Christmas baby- could be better
.        than a car.

SIMON    Well, I must object, here.  Now we ARE

.        talking about religion and ritual.

PENNY    Except that it’s way more than a religion

.        or a ritual.  And this gift is given with
.        love – which goes beyond any kind of love
.        we could ever have anywhere else.

TEEN 1   I don’t know... My mom is one of those

.        crazy baby-lovers – and STILL thinks of me
.        as her baby.  And I don’t think there’s any hope
.        of that ever changing.  Any time I mention
.        the “c” word-

TEEN 2   The “C” word?

SIMON    (to TEEN 2)  NOT as in “SEE”-ing anything.

TEEN 1   No, the “c” word!  If I dare say - “college” –

.        she BURSTS into tears.  I’ve still got
.        two more years of this - at home with her -
.        clinging to me!

TEEN 2   (to PENNY)  Is that what you’re talking about?

PENNY    Ah, no.  It’s the gift of life – actually.

.        Eternal life.

TEEN 2   I’m confused.

PENNY    Sorry.  I’m way better at writing things out   5

.        than explaining something.  I’ll try again.  
.        God loves us so much that He sent His only Son,
.        Jesus, to earth – to die for us-

TEEN 1   The baby died?!

PENNY    No!  The baby grew up.  Ugh, the Bible says-

SIMON    Whoa!  NOW you’ve crossed the line!

.        Schools are NOT allowed to teach that
.        Christian stuff.

TEEN 1   (to SIMON)  Oh, grow up! Penny is not a teacher.

.        It’s different for students.  We still
.        have freedom of speech in this country.
.        Everyone has a right.  (to PENNY)  Continue.

PENNY    Well, ah, the Bible - tells us about our-

.        well- tells us - so much, really!

TEEN 2   Penny!  The amazing gift?

PENNY    Yeah, Jesus came to die for our sins,

.        so we can have God as our Heavenly Father
.        and have eternal life.

TEEN 2   Eternal life?  Like, the fountain of youth?

.        My mom would LOVE that!

PENNY    Kind of.  So much comes with that one gift:
.        God’s forgiveness, grace, love, purpose,
.        strength, peace, joy-

SIMON    Joy?  Even though your dad’s in the hospital?

PENNY    God always provides what us with what we need,

.        even when times are tough.  ESPECIALLY when
.        times are tough.  We do not have to be afraid
.        or worry about anything.

TEEN 1   So what about this Christmas-baby-stuff, then?

PENNY    Christmas is just a time when we CELEBRATE
.        God coming to earth for the purpose of
.        saving us.  One can accept this gift any time.

TEEN 1   Interesting.  Still need more info.            6

PENNY    The Bible explains everything you need to know.

.        And you’re definitely welcome to come
.        to our church where we learn more about God,
.        and we sing, and encourage each other.

SIMON    (glancing at watch)  Class over!

TEEN 1   Interesting talk, guys!

TEEN 2   Whatever.  I STILL want to go to Europe!

(KIDS all gather up their books and exit, while

SIMON lingers behind in order to talk to
PENNY privately.)

SIMON    Hey, ah, can you tell me - where I can get

.        one of those Bibles?  I just want to
.        check it out for myself - maybe.

PENNY    Sure.