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The eldest son came to meet her, and saw her sleeping. So he sat at her head. Later, her second
“Ma!” he cried, “I came first. I should be given the right to talk first to you.”
“Whatever this man has to ask you, don’t give it to him, Ma! Only the first-born should have the
right to you. I ask that you remove him from your presence.” said the elder angrily, pointing to
the second.
“Ma, you have always treated me as your child. You have never shown favouritism. Please don’t
send me away from you. He’s forcing me to go.” said the second, pointing to the elder.
“Look my dear children. You know that I cannot take away any of your right of being my children.
You were always my children, you will always be my children.” she said both, but especially to the
younger. And to the eldest she said, “Son, as the elder son I offer you a boon. Anything you want
from me, you can have. Only, you can’t take away the right of the younger of being my child.”
“Yes everything,” said the eldest. “I want the right over your land and waters, I want your power
and your identity, I want your prestige and your wealth, I want your culture and your people. I
want everything.”
“Once I get everything,” laughed the eldest, “you will get nothing. And then you either work for
“But I don’t want to leave, Ma, I don’t want to leave you.” cried the younger brother, visibly
distraught.
“Ma, it’s not fair. He’s taken everything.” complained the younger, in tears.
“Not everything my child. Because you are my child, there is already a part of me in you. No one,
“What does that matter? I have the power and the authority to use Ma’s identity for whatever I
want. I can discount her image in you by discounting anything associated with you.”
“Ma, I know I am your child. But I am scared. I am scared of my brother,” said the younger
“I am allowing your brother to serve me,” she said to the elder. “His service is not my right to
“But if I serve you, Ma, won’t my elder brother exploit my service? I would end up serving him.”
“When you serve me, my child, you will serve me. What your brother does after that, may not be
in your control. You do, what you think is best for me, because I am in you and you are in me.”
“Then I agree, Ma. I want to serve you. And that’s what I want.”
By Debra Wehr
Summary
A neighbour brings a book which explains everything the family needs to know
about Christmas.
Characters
Mom
Dad
Child
Teenager
Grandparent
Neighbor
Script
(Scene: The Family Living Room. It is the beginning of the Christmas season and
the family has just put up the tree. They are unpacking the Nativity scene.
Ornaments and lights lie on the floor. Dad and teenager are working on getting the
lights ready to put up outside. (stage left.))
DAD: How are you coming with those lights? Are they all working and ready to
put outside?
TEENAGER: No. I can't seem to find the one that's burnt out. Maybe we should
just get some new ones.
DAD: Keep looking. We can't afford to get new lights every time one littlebulb
goes out.
(Mom, Grandparent, and child are setting up the nativity scene - stage right.)
MOM: Here, let's put the baby Jesus between Mary and Joseph so they can look at
how sweet he is. (handing the figure to the child)
CHILD: (He is putting more figures on the table.) Mom, this set looks just like the
one they have at the Shopping Mall.
(The doorbell rings. A neighbor arrives with a gift plainly labeled: "OPEN
BEFORE CHRISTMAS." Mom answers the door.)
MOM: (noticing the wrapped gift in her hand) What do you have there? Hey, it's a
little early for gifts yet. We're just getting the decorations up.
NEIGHBOR: This is a Christmas gift that you really need to open at the start of the
Christmas season. So go ahead and open it now. (Neighbor walks over and hands
the gift to Mom.)
CHILD: She said we should open it now. Can I open it? Can I?
MOM: O.K. (handing gift to child. Child opens gift as everyone looks on)
DAD: "Everything I Need to Know About Christmas." Now I see why we needed
to open it right now. It will help us organize ourselves during this busy time of
year. I bet there's a schedule for saving, shopping, putting up lights, Christmas
programs and rehearsals. (sighs) That would sure come in real handy.
MOM: Probably there are some new decorating ideas. Those mini-marshmallows
we used as fake snow made such a mess last year. They got smeared all over the
windows, it took hours to scrape them off.
GRANDPARENT: I do hope that it has some shopping tips. I just don't know what
to get teenagers. My friend told me that teenagers like CDs. But last year Ryan
didn't seem pleased at all with the "Perry Como" CD, I got him.
DAD: Let's quit guessing and see what it says. (Dad walks over and takes the book
and reads the title again.) Everything I Need to Know About Christmas: (turns the
page) - I Learned From ... Jesus?
TEENAGER: That's silly. How can Jesus have known what kind of presents to buy
for people today, or how to find the one bulb in the string that is burnt out and
keeps the rest of them from lighting up. That's something I need to know.
TEENAGER: Let me read some, Dad. (He stands next to Dad and reads)
"God loves us very much.
But sin, He cannot stand
Jesus came to pay sin's price.
He came
At God's command"
MOM: Hey, this really is why we celebrate Christmas(Mom turns page and reads)
"Jesus taught us what to do
How to act the whole year through
Visit the lonely, be kind to the poor,
Help the sick to find a cure.
Obey the Lord as you are told
And you will wear a crown of gold"
NEIGHBOR: See, this book helps give you the REAL meaning of Christmas
Scene 1
Narrator- It's early Thanksgiving morning. Grandma Josephine and Grandpa Joe
are still asleep, and in the refrigerator the food is chatting.
Food- Hubbubing
Turkey- But, I'm the traditional main dish! So I must be the best, in fact, I am the
best!
Mashed Potatoes- Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without me! Mashed
potatoes are always everyone's favorite!
Stuffing- Turkey, you think your so important! But you're nothing without me, the
tasty stuffing!
Turkey- Tasty stuffing?! Even the dog, Sparky, doesn't like you!
Pumpkin Pie- You all think you're so important! They always save the best and
the sweetest for last!
Cranberry Sauce-You're not the only one who can taste sweet, you know.
Scene 2
Grandma- Joe? Must be getting old. I could of sworn I heard some rustling in
here!
Grandpa- You must be getting' old! Better start cookin'! The guests will be
arriving soon.
Scene 3
Scene 4
(Sparky enters)
Narrator- Thanksgiving dinner is over, and it's time to compliment the cooking.
Scene 6
Narrator-The family went home and grandma and grandpa put the leftovers in the
fridge.
Turkey-I guess I have to admit the dinner was pretty good because of all of us.
Mashed Potatoes- I got a little cranberry sauce mixed into me and you did taste
pretty good.
Cranberry Sauce- Why, Thank you! You didn't taste too bad yourself.
Pumpkin Pie- Well, it goes to show you, that if you cooperate you can really put
something great together.
Stage Tips
1. Open out to the audience. For example, when two people have a real
conversation, they face each other. However, on stage, you turn your body
to the audience.
2. Try to keep your hair out of your eyes unless the part requires it.
3. When you make gestures, try to keep your arms and legs farthest from the
audience or upstage.
4. Always turn so you face the audience during a turn.
5. Keep the energy in the imaginary happenings occurring on stage.
6. If two or more cast members walk across the stage, the person closest to the
audience should follow the one that is furthest from the audience.
7. See the stage areas below: