THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.For One Adult or Large Girl and One Child as Small as Can Learn the Part.This may be presented wholly without accessories, except a chair and a small table and work basket, or made to picture a Puritan home.The effect of this simple thing lies in the spirit put into it by the actors. Well done it is exceedingly effective.Costumes and directions at the close.
For One Adult or Large Girl and One Child as Small as Can Learn the Part.
This may be presented wholly without accessories, except a chair and a small table and work basket, or made to picture a Puritan home.
The effect of this simple thing lies in the spirit put into it by the actors. Well done it is exceedingly effective.
Costumes and directions at the close.
Child(enters, goes toMother, who sits sewing—leansagainst her knee)—Mother, I heard the children sayThat Christmas will be here tomorrow.I never heard of that before,Is it a time of joy or sorrow?Did you keep Christmas years far backIn your old home across the water?Mother—Yes, child, with gifts and great yule logs.But that was long ago, my daughter.Child—Tell me about it, mother dear,Why did you have such Christmas gladness?And did you give to all you loved?Did you help all who lived in sadness?Mother—Dear child, this is the time of yearThe dear Lord’s birth is celebrated.But heathen rites and wicked mirthHave marked for theirs all things created.And so ’tis wrong for us to joinIn ceremonies so unfitting.(Puts down her work, takesChild’shand.)But come. The storm is fierce without,And glistening snow is downward flitting.(Rises.)To bed, oh little daughter mine.The pines and winds their songs are singing,And all the stars—and Lady Moon—Their watchful care to you are bringing.(Motherstarts to go out,Childsteps in front of her and looks up into her face.)Child—But, Mother dear, on my birthdayYou give me gifts, and I am merry.Why is it wrong on Christ’s birthdayFor us to help make others cheery?Mother—To bed, my little daughter mine,Nor vex your childish heart with fretting.(Starts to go,Childagain stops her.)Child—But, Mother,youhad Christmas time,You told me so; you’re not forgetting?Mother—Nay, child, I don’t forget.Child—Then whyCan it be wrong ifyoucould do it?You are so good. It madeyouglad.Mother—But I have learned to sadly rue it.Child—But tell me why. I cannot seeWhy joy displeases the good Father.For when we’re glad we want to share,And make all others glad together.Mother(moves toward the door)—’Tis time my little maid should goAnd on her pillow white be sleeping;While God shall guard through all the night.And winter stars their watch be keeping.(They go out.)Mother(returns alone, clasps hands as she says:)My little maid!Canit be wrongTo give her Christmas joy, I wonder?(Thinks, gets work basket, sits down, fashions a rough doll, previously prepared, from bits of cloth. She puts on a dress of gray, like her own—it can be tied and pinned together by previous practice—with apron and kerchief. This is done as she talks, with occasional pauses, finishing it silently and holding it up to view.)Was it all wrong—that happy mirth—In the old home in England yonder?Her childish questions reach my heart.God loves to have us glad, most surely;And loving Him, our love for allMust stronger be, and grow more purely.(Goes out holding up the doll for her own admiration. After short interval returns without the doll, goes to window and looks out, speaking slowly.)And now ’tis dawn; the night is gone,—And it is holy Christmas morning.Snow-drifts and ice and glittering starsAre miracles for its adorning.(A pause.Childruns in joyously, hugging the doll. As she talks she clasps herMotherand shows all possible joy, dancing up and down, etc.)Child—Oh mother dear! Oh mother dear!See what I found beside me sleeping!If God kept watch He knew it came,And knows how Christmas we are keeping.If you lovemeso much, and loveTo give me gifts like this, dear mother,How very loving God must be!He must love more than any other!Mother(takesChild’shand and puts her arm around her)—Dear little maiden mine! Your faithThat best of lessons holy,That loving God is lovingall;And Love is Help to high and lowly.
Child(enters, goes toMother, who sits sewing—leansagainst her knee)—Mother, I heard the children sayThat Christmas will be here tomorrow.I never heard of that before,Is it a time of joy or sorrow?Did you keep Christmas years far backIn your old home across the water?Mother—Yes, child, with gifts and great yule logs.But that was long ago, my daughter.Child—Tell me about it, mother dear,Why did you have such Christmas gladness?And did you give to all you loved?Did you help all who lived in sadness?Mother—Dear child, this is the time of yearThe dear Lord’s birth is celebrated.But heathen rites and wicked mirthHave marked for theirs all things created.And so ’tis wrong for us to joinIn ceremonies so unfitting.(Puts down her work, takesChild’shand.)But come. The storm is fierce without,And glistening snow is downward flitting.(Rises.)To bed, oh little daughter mine.The pines and winds their songs are singing,And all the stars—and Lady Moon—Their watchful care to you are bringing.(Motherstarts to go out,Childsteps in front of her and looks up into her face.)Child—But, Mother dear, on my birthdayYou give me gifts, and I am merry.Why is it wrong on Christ’s birthdayFor us to help make others cheery?Mother—To bed, my little daughter mine,Nor vex your childish heart with fretting.(Starts to go,Childagain stops her.)Child—But, Mother,youhad Christmas time,You told me so; you’re not forgetting?Mother—Nay, child, I don’t forget.Child—Then whyCan it be wrong ifyoucould do it?You are so good. It madeyouglad.Mother—But I have learned to sadly rue it.Child—But tell me why. I cannot seeWhy joy displeases the good Father.For when we’re glad we want to share,And make all others glad together.Mother(moves toward the door)—’Tis time my little maid should goAnd on her pillow white be sleeping;While God shall guard through all the night.And winter stars their watch be keeping.(They go out.)Mother(returns alone, clasps hands as she says:)My little maid!Canit be wrongTo give her Christmas joy, I wonder?(Thinks, gets work basket, sits down, fashions a rough doll, previously prepared, from bits of cloth. She puts on a dress of gray, like her own—it can be tied and pinned together by previous practice—with apron and kerchief. This is done as she talks, with occasional pauses, finishing it silently and holding it up to view.)Was it all wrong—that happy mirth—In the old home in England yonder?Her childish questions reach my heart.God loves to have us glad, most surely;And loving Him, our love for allMust stronger be, and grow more purely.(Goes out holding up the doll for her own admiration. After short interval returns without the doll, goes to window and looks out, speaking slowly.)And now ’tis dawn; the night is gone,—And it is holy Christmas morning.Snow-drifts and ice and glittering starsAre miracles for its adorning.(A pause.Childruns in joyously, hugging the doll. As she talks she clasps herMotherand shows all possible joy, dancing up and down, etc.)Child—Oh mother dear! Oh mother dear!See what I found beside me sleeping!If God kept watch He knew it came,And knows how Christmas we are keeping.If you lovemeso much, and loveTo give me gifts like this, dear mother,How very loving God must be!He must love more than any other!Mother(takesChild’shand and puts her arm around her)—Dear little maiden mine! Your faithThat best of lessons holy,That loving God is lovingall;And Love is Help to high and lowly.
Child(enters, goes toMother, who sits sewing—leansagainst her knee)—Mother, I heard the children sayThat Christmas will be here tomorrow.I never heard of that before,Is it a time of joy or sorrow?
Child(enters, goes toMother, who sits sewing—leansagainst her knee)—
Mother, I heard the children say
That Christmas will be here tomorrow.
I never heard of that before,
Is it a time of joy or sorrow?
Did you keep Christmas years far backIn your old home across the water?Mother—Yes, child, with gifts and great yule logs.But that was long ago, my daughter.
Did you keep Christmas years far back
In your old home across the water?
Mother—
Yes, child, with gifts and great yule logs.
But that was long ago, my daughter.
Child—Tell me about it, mother dear,Why did you have such Christmas gladness?And did you give to all you loved?Did you help all who lived in sadness?
Child—
Tell me about it, mother dear,
Why did you have such Christmas gladness?
And did you give to all you loved?
Did you help all who lived in sadness?
Mother—Dear child, this is the time of yearThe dear Lord’s birth is celebrated.But heathen rites and wicked mirthHave marked for theirs all things created.And so ’tis wrong for us to joinIn ceremonies so unfitting.(Puts down her work, takesChild’shand.)But come. The storm is fierce without,And glistening snow is downward flitting.(Rises.)To bed, oh little daughter mine.The pines and winds their songs are singing,And all the stars—and Lady Moon—Their watchful care to you are bringing.
Mother—
Dear child, this is the time of year
The dear Lord’s birth is celebrated.
But heathen rites and wicked mirth
Have marked for theirs all things created.
And so ’tis wrong for us to join
In ceremonies so unfitting.
(Puts down her work, takesChild’shand.)
But come. The storm is fierce without,
And glistening snow is downward flitting.
(Rises.)
To bed, oh little daughter mine.
The pines and winds their songs are singing,
And all the stars—and Lady Moon—
Their watchful care to you are bringing.
(Motherstarts to go out,Childsteps in front of her and looks up into her face.)
Child—But, Mother dear, on my birthdayYou give me gifts, and I am merry.Why is it wrong on Christ’s birthdayFor us to help make others cheery?
Child—
But, Mother dear, on my birthday
You give me gifts, and I am merry.
Why is it wrong on Christ’s birthday
For us to help make others cheery?
Mother—To bed, my little daughter mine,Nor vex your childish heart with fretting.(Starts to go,Childagain stops her.)Child—But, Mother,youhad Christmas time,You told me so; you’re not forgetting?
Mother—
To bed, my little daughter mine,
Nor vex your childish heart with fretting.
(Starts to go,Childagain stops her.)
Child—
But, Mother,youhad Christmas time,
You told me so; you’re not forgetting?
Mother—Nay, child, I don’t forget.Child—Then whyCan it be wrong ifyoucould do it?You are so good. It madeyouglad.Mother—But I have learned to sadly rue it.
Mother—
Nay, child, I don’t forget.
Child—
Then why
Can it be wrong ifyoucould do it?
You are so good. It madeyouglad.
Mother—
But I have learned to sadly rue it.
Child—But tell me why. I cannot seeWhy joy displeases the good Father.For when we’re glad we want to share,And make all others glad together.
Child—
But tell me why. I cannot see
Why joy displeases the good Father.
For when we’re glad we want to share,
And make all others glad together.
Mother(moves toward the door)—’Tis time my little maid should goAnd on her pillow white be sleeping;While God shall guard through all the night.And winter stars their watch be keeping.(They go out.)
Mother(moves toward the door)—
’Tis time my little maid should go
And on her pillow white be sleeping;
While God shall guard through all the night.
And winter stars their watch be keeping.
(They go out.)
Mother(returns alone, clasps hands as she says:)My little maid!Canit be wrongTo give her Christmas joy, I wonder?
Mother(returns alone, clasps hands as she says:)
My little maid!Canit be wrong
To give her Christmas joy, I wonder?
(Thinks, gets work basket, sits down, fashions a rough doll, previously prepared, from bits of cloth. She puts on a dress of gray, like her own—it can be tied and pinned together by previous practice—with apron and kerchief. This is done as she talks, with occasional pauses, finishing it silently and holding it up to view.)
Was it all wrong—that happy mirth—In the old home in England yonder?
Was it all wrong—that happy mirth—
In the old home in England yonder?
Her childish questions reach my heart.God loves to have us glad, most surely;And loving Him, our love for allMust stronger be, and grow more purely.
Her childish questions reach my heart.
God loves to have us glad, most surely;
And loving Him, our love for all
Must stronger be, and grow more purely.
(Goes out holding up the doll for her own admiration. After short interval returns without the doll, goes to window and looks out, speaking slowly.)
And now ’tis dawn; the night is gone,—And it is holy Christmas morning.Snow-drifts and ice and glittering starsAre miracles for its adorning.
And now ’tis dawn; the night is gone,—
And it is holy Christmas morning.
Snow-drifts and ice and glittering stars
Are miracles for its adorning.
(A pause.Childruns in joyously, hugging the doll. As she talks she clasps herMotherand shows all possible joy, dancing up and down, etc.)
Child—Oh mother dear! Oh mother dear!See what I found beside me sleeping!If God kept watch He knew it came,And knows how Christmas we are keeping.
Child—
Oh mother dear! Oh mother dear!
See what I found beside me sleeping!
If God kept watch He knew it came,
And knows how Christmas we are keeping.
If you lovemeso much, and loveTo give me gifts like this, dear mother,How very loving God must be!He must love more than any other!
If you lovemeso much, and love
To give me gifts like this, dear mother,
How very loving God must be!
He must love more than any other!
Mother(takesChild’shand and puts her arm around her)—Dear little maiden mine! Your faithThat best of lessons holy,That loving God is lovingall;And Love is Help to high and lowly.
Mother(takesChild’shand and puts her arm around her)—
Dear little maiden mine! Your faith
That best of lessons holy,
That loving God is lovingall;
And Love is Help to high and lowly.
CURTAIN.
Both dress alike. Dress gray, plain waist and close sleeves, skirt to ankles. White apron, white kerchief crossed over the shoulders, plain muslin caps, not tied under the chin, white stockings, low shoes.
The mother is very gentle and loving, the child eager and impetuous. This can be made very “taking” by having both the characters children; the smaller the better.