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What's Your Favorite Part... Script Excerpts Scene 1:  Christmas Eve afternoon (Scene opens with Grandma sitting in chair, working a crossword puzzle.  Alex is sitting at table, drawing a picture on a sketchpad.) Mary (singing softly as she works on crossword puzzle) Oh, little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie. Above the deep and dreamless sleep, The silent stars go by. Alex Grandma, what are you singing? Mary “Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem”. Alex Oh. (pause) Grandma? Mary Yes, Alex. Alex What is your favorite part of Christmas? Mary (putting down book, crossing to Alex slowly as she speaks) My favorite part of Christmas?  Let’s see.  (pauses.  Thinking) It would have to be the songs and the lights.  They seem to capture the true meaning of Christ’s birth more than anything else. Alex What was grandpa’s favorite part? Mary Grandpa’s favorite part was the ornaments on the tree.  He always had those special ornaments.  The ones your mom and Uncle Rich made in school and Sunday School.  He was always very sentimental when it came to those “hand-made” ornaments.  He would always tell all the facts about who made each one, when they were made and where.  He remembered all of it. (CAROL enters with handfuls of groceries.  She sits them on the table, not seeing Alex.) Scene 3 Russ (as he enters) Hi everyone.  Boy, do I have a lot of work to do.  I got a call at 2:00 today at work…right in the middle of finishing up the last of my program.  I got a call from Pastor that he wanted me to write a sketch for next Sunday. Carol Next Sunday?  Why such short notice? Russ I don’t know.  I guess he just decided what he was going to preach on and he couldn’t find a script so he wants me to write one on… (digs paper out of briefcase.  Reading) “Christians and New Years Resolutions,” or “Is society going to the dogs in a bucket?” Carol “Is Society going to the dogs in a bucket?”  What kind of sermon title is that? Russ I don’t know.  I do know that I’m looking forward to hearing the sermon…but I’ve got to get a script together in pretty short order so I can get it to the actors this Sunday. (moves toward desk to set up his computer.  To ALEX) Hey, buddy. Alex Hey, dad.  What’s your favorite part of … Russ (interrupting) Not now, son.  I’ve got work to do.  Can you move somewhere else so I can use the desk? Alex (as he moves and lays down on the floor) Sure, dad. Russ This is all I’ve got so far.  I think I’m going to ask Julia and David to do this. (reading off of same paper.  CAROL and MARY listen to part of it and then get involved with getting the food ready.) Scene 4 Alex (setting up.  To TANYA) What’s in the box? Tanya It’s our Christmas tree, goof.  Sam said he’d help me set up the tree so he’d be able to do his at home. (during the following, TANYA sits the box down, opens it up and starts spreading out the limbs) Alex Ahh.  Hey Sam?  What’s your favorite part of Christmas? Sam My favorite part?  I really don’t know.  You see, this is my first Christmas. Alex First Christmas?! Sam Yeah.  You see, my dad got transferred to China right before I was born.  And in the part of China where we lived, we never celebrated Christmas. Alex That’s weird!  You mean you never got presents or anything? Sam Nope.  We never did anything. Tanya (as she continues spreading out the limbs to separate them into their respective sizes) Hey.  Alex.  You think you could move somewhere else with that so we could spread out these branches. Alex (getting up and moving to chair) Yeah.  Sure. Tanya Thanks. Closing Scene Sam That’s what Christmas is really about? Mary Yes, Sam.  That’s what Christmas is really about.  Over two thousand years ago, God sent his only son to be born in a feeding trough so that he could save us from our sins. Sam Save us from our sins? Mary That’s right.  The Bible says that all people have sinned and we required someone to come and die in our place.  Jesus was that someone.  He came to earth intending to die for us as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.  That’s what Christmas is really about.  All the trees, the food, the music, the dramas, the presents…those are all just ways that we have developed to celebrate that truth. (Alex exits) Carol You know, I’ve kind of gotten caught up with everything except the true meaning, haven’t I?  I guess we kind of pushed Alex off all day, haven’t we? Russ Yeah, with all the food, the sketch, and the tree, I guess it all kind of took the place of family and the true gifts that we have. (ALEX comes back in with sketchpad) Alex.  We all wanted to apologize for how we’ve treated you since we got home.  We’ve all kind of just pushed you off.  We all forgot what the true meaning of Christmas really is. Alex That’s what I’ve been working on all day.  That’s why I’ve been drawing all day. (HE turns around the sketchpad, showing a drawing of the nativity scene) This is my favorite part of the Christmas season.