Merry christmas, mr. jenkins

Merry Christmas, Mr. Jenkins!

Opening Song: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas?

Written by: Cassidy G., Shae R., Madelyn M., Kaci A., Sydni S. and Miss Martyn

Lights up on living room set. MOTHER & FATHER sitting by fireplace. MOTHER is knitting, or doing something else mother-like. Perhaps she is wearing an apron,

because her Christmas cookies are in the oven. Father is reading the newspaper, or some other thing that dads do in Christmas cards. The three children are on the other side of the stage as if outside and are throwing snowballs at each other. Mr. Jenkins is

shovelling his sidewalk.

EMMA(throwing a snowball at one of the children) “You can run, but you can’t hide!)

LIZZIE(ducks from snowball) Nice try, but I am way too fast for you! (Yelling at other child)

Hey! Heads up! Fire in the hole!”

TOMMY(runs away but doesn’t look where he is going) No way! You can’t get…. OOF!

(bumps into Mr. Jenkins).

TOMMYOh, Mr. Jenkins, I am so, so……

Mr. Jenkins(interrupting and yelling) Now what did I tell you blasted kids about playing on my

property!

EMMA(stammering) But, but, Mr. Jenkins we weren’t on your property! We were just…

Mr. JenkinsWell, you were close enough to knock me down weren’t you? I could have broken

something! You funny-looking kids have no respect and I wish your silly parents had never moved into this neighborhood! NOW BEAT IT AND I’D BETTER NOT SEE YOU

OUT HERE AGAIN!

(enter CHILDREN from “outside”)

TOMMYI can’t believe he did it again!

LIZZIE(crying) Why does he have to be so awful?

MOTHERChildren! What ever is the matter?

EMMAMr. Jenkins

TOMMYI hate him!

MOTHERNow, hate is a strong word.

LIZZIEI don’t care! It’s true. I hate him, too.

FATHERNow, children, your mother is right. Hate is a very strong word. We shouldn’t hate

anybody. What did our old neighbour do now?

LIZZIEWe were just having some fun in the snow and got a little carried away. We just

bumped into him a bit but he didn’t even get hurt. Then he called us ugly and said he wished we had never moved into this neighborhood!

EMMAAnd before that, we were building a snowman in the front yard, to guard our snow fort –

TOMMYAnd then we ran into the garage to grab some old mittens and scarves to decorate him

EMMAAnd when we came back out, we saw Mr. Jenkins walking away with Trixie.

FATHERI don’t understand. What’s wrong with him walking his dog?

TOMMYThe front of the snowman was all melted and yellow! That’s what’s wrong!

MOTHERThat wasn’t very nice, but that’s no reason to hate the poor old man.

EMMABut it’s not like that’s the first time he’s ever done anything.

LIZZIEThat’s right! Remember when he yelled at us for playing Cops and Robbers in front of

his house?

TOMMYOr when he called us lazy for playing in the leaves instead of raking them?

EMMAOr when he laughed at me when I slipped on the ice last week?

CHILDRENHe’s MEAN!!

MOTHERWe should invite him for Christmas dinner!

CHILDRENWhat?!

FATHERWonderful idea, dear.

CHILDRENWhat?!

MOTHERHe must be so lonely, all alone in that big house.

EMMAYeah, ‘cause he’s old and mean and cranky…

TOMMY…and grumpy and stinky and eats raisins…

FATHERAnd that’s enough. You kids need some Christmas spirit.

LIZZIEWe have plenty of Christmas spirit! Last Saturday we helped

serve breakfast at the homeless shelter! All those poor people, they don’t deserve to be cold and hungry at Christmas.

EMMAYeah, and we bought those Christmas presents for families

who can’t afford to buy their kids presents!

FATHERThat’s all well and good, but the Christmas spirit isn’t just about giving.

It’s about giving even to people who don’t deserve the gifts.

MOTHERSit down, children. I’m going to tell you about my most special Christmas memory.

1. Christmas Poem

(Katie, Demitri and Lyla laughing and playing)KATIE

It’s so fun to play in the snow!

DEMITRILet’s build a snowman next!

LYLAYeah, I just hope that Mean Mr. Matthews doesn’t notice us!

(MR. MATTHEWS approaches)

KATIE

Ack! You jinxed us!

MR. MATTHEWSWhat are you kids doing? You’re making too much noise! I thought I told you to stay

away from my house!

DEMITRIOh! Sorry, Mea-, um, uh, Mr. Matthews!

(Mr. Matthews grunts, and exits)

KATIEHe’s finally lost it! I wouldn’t be surprised if he just turned green and became the

Grinch! (stomps off)

2. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

(Kids enter the house, and take off boots and jackets. MOM and DAD come to see the kids)

DADHey, kids! Did you have fun?

MOMKids, we have something to tell you.

And… it’s not very good. Come, sit by the fire.

DADBusiness hasn’t been very good this year.

MOMWe don’t have enough money to support the farm and our family.

DEMITRIBut, but…

KATIEDoes that mean we have to sell the farm?

DADYes, sweetie. Yes, it does.

(Hugging and tears)

LYLAI can’t believe that this is happening right before Christmas!

MOMIt will be alright. You’ll see. Go to bed now.

(Children exit)

DADWhy did we have to tell them, Sue?

MOMJerry… they deserve to know.

(Exit)

3. Where Are You Christmas?

NARRATOR 2Everything was normal for the next two days. The kids played pranks on Mr. Matthews

and built snowmen. On Christmas Eve, they went to sleep like normal kids. But Christmas morning was anything but normal…

(knock on the door)

KATIEI’ll get it!

(KATIE opens the door to reveal a box)

KATIEGuys! Come see!

DEMITRISee what?

LYLAWhat’s there?

MOMWhy, it’s a box!

DADSue! Look! (pulls out 5 Christmas cards)

LYLAStuffies!

DEMITRIA toy truck! Wow!

MOMThat’s wonderful, but where did the box come from?

KIDS:Must be Santa!!

4. Must Be Santa Claus

KATIEA pretty doll! Just what I wanted! Thanks, Santa! I guess he knew we needed some

serious holiday cheer after our bad news.

LYLA:Yes, but if it was Santa, why did he leave the box by the front door instead of under the

tree?

DADSue! Kids! In the back here…

(FATHER pulls out a piece of paper)

LYLAWhat? What is it?

DADIt’s a cheque for a thousand dollars! That’s enough to save the farm!

DEMITRI

We can stay now! Yippee!

KATIEWait! Who’s the box from?

LYLADuh! Santa Clause

MOMAn angel.

(FAMILY exits)

(MOTHER, FATHER, CHILD 1 & CHILD 2 are around the fireplace again)

MOTHERDo you know who gave us that box?

EMMAYou mean it wasn’t Santa?

MOTHER(laughs) No, it was Mr. Matthews.

TOMMYWhat? But wasn’t he the mean one?

MOTHERHe had been grumpy ever since his daughter had passed away. He thought that

everyone’s Christmas should be as sad as his was. Until he found out that our farm was going to be sold. Then something clicked.

LIZZIEYeah, but nothing like that would ever “click” with Mr. Jenkins.

MOTHERI am certain that if we had been nicer to Mr. Matthews, his life wouldn’t have been as

sad.

TOMMYPfft. Yeah right.

MOTHERThe point is, Mr. Matthews gave us gifts when we had been mean to him and didn’t

deserve it.

FATHERAnd maybe Mr. Jenkins is just grumpy because he had experienced a loss, too.

LIZZIEI guess if I lost something important, I might be grumpy, too.

EMMAMe, too.

5. May You Find Love This Christmas

FATHERDo you want to hear another story?

CHILDRENYes!

FATHERThis is also a true story. But it happened a long, long time ago.

NARRATOR 3Mary and Joseph had to travel all the way to Bethlehem when Jesus was just about to

be born because King Herod wanted to take a census.

NARRATOR 4They were exhausted from the journey. Can you imagine taking a road trip on a donkey

when you’re nine months pregnant?So Joseph began to look for a place for them to rest.

(MARY AND JOSEPH come to an inn)JOSEPH

Sir, do you have any room for my wife and me?

INNKEEPER 1Sorry, there is no room for you and your wife.

JOSEPHAre you sure? She’s preg – (INNKEEPER 1 shuts door in JOSEPH’s face)

(MARY and JOSEPH come to another inn)

JOSEPHSir, do you have any room for my wife and me?

INNKEEPER 2I’m sorry sir, but there is no room for you and your wife.

JOSEPHBut – (door shuts)

(MARY and JOSEPH come to another inn.)

JOSEPHMy kind man, do you suppose that you have any room to left for my wife and me?

We’ve travelled very far, and she is very tired. As you can see, our child is due any day now.

INNKEEPER 3I am so sorry, but I have no room left. (Pause, look down) Wait! If you would like, I could

let you stay in my stable with the barn animals.

JOSEPH Thank you my kind man. My wife and I will sleep in your stable.

(MARY and JOSEPH go to the stable)

6. Away In a Manger

NARRATOR 1So Mary and Joseph went to stay in the stable,

because there was no room anywhere else. But, the stable wasn’t exactly empty either.

DONKEY

Hey! Hey! Wake up!

COWWhat? I’m sleeping over here!

DONKEYIt’s important! Wake up!

SHEEPWhat’s so important, Donkey?

DONKEYA baby was born tonight.

CAMELI know. It’s sleeping in my manger. How am I supposed to eat now?

COWJust pick it up and take it out of your manger. Then you can eat.

DONKEYNo! It’s a special baby!

CAMELJust because it’s mom rode into town on your back doesn’t make it important.

DOVENo, the donkey is right. This is a very special baby.

COWReally?

DOVEMaybe the most important baby that’s ever been born.

That baby is going to save the world.

DONKEYThat’s right! An angel told my masters so.

DOVEWe should be honoured to have him sleeping in our stable.

CAMELWow

7. The Friendly Beasts

NARRATOR 4While the animals in the stable were amazed by the baby Jesus, the people in

Bethlehem had no idea what had happened.

NARRATOR 3The shepherds tending their flocks on the nearby hills were particularly clueless.

(SHEPHERDS 1, 2, 3, and FRED are on the hill tending to sheep)

SHEPHERD 1…I’m telling you, angels need wings to get around up there!

SHEPHERD 2And I’m telling you, that you angels don’t need wings! They just move their arms like

they’re swimming! Otherwise they’d molt. Like birds.

SHEPHERD 1You’re wrong.

SHEPHERD 2No, you’re wrong. Why don’t we ask an impartial third party. Fred?

SHEPHERD 1Yeah! Fred? What do you think? Wings or no wings?

FREDUmmm… guys…. (pointing in direction of ANGELS)

SHEPHERD 3Come on, Fred, just settle it. I don’t want to hear them argue about this anymore.

FREDBut, guys….

SHEPHERD 3

Every night it’s the same thing. Wings or no wings. If I have to hear this one mo –

FREDLOOK! There!

(ANGELS enter to announce the birth of Jesus)

ANGEL 1Do not be afraid. We bring you good news for everybody.

ANGEL 2Tonight, a Savior has been born. His name is Jesus Christ.

ANGEL 1You will find him in the village.

Shepherds, go to Bethlehem, enter the stable, and see Jesus Christ our savior.

SHEPHERD 1Come on! Let’s go to Bethlehem!

SHEPHERD 2Already ahead of you.

FREDComing.

SHEPHERD 1And I told you angels have wings!

(SHEPHERDS run off stage)

8. Angels We Have Heard On High

(Back in the stable, MARY and JOSEPH around the manger, and the ANGELS are standing around the stable)

MARYHe’s so beautiful. I can’t believe God gave him to us.

JOSEPHI’ve never done anything to deserve such a precious gift.

(enter SHEPHERDS)

FREDExcuse me…I hate to bother you ma’am…but…

SHEPHERD 2We heard that the Savior was born tonight, and that we would be able to find him lying

in a manger. (gasps) Is that him?

(MARY nods)

SHEPHERD 1(kneeling) So. This is God. He’s come to be with us. I don’t think I’ll ever do anything to

deserve the gift of meeting him.

MARYI think that’s the point. None of us will ever be deserving of such a wonderful gift, yet it’s

been given to us anyway. So we just have to accept the gift, and continue to give to others in the same way.

(Lights up on the FAMILY)

FATHERDo you kids understand what we’re trying to tell you?

LIZZIEUmm…that Christmas is about giving things to people who don’t deserve them?

TOMMYJust like what Jesus did for us?

FATHERExactly. So, do you have any opinions about who we should invite for Christmas dinner? I was thinking that we should invite Grandma and Grandpa, of course…

MOTHERAunt Lyla and Uncle Steve…

FATHER…anyone else?

EMMAMr. Jenkins?

TOMMYYeah. Even if he’s mean. No one should be alone on Christmas.

FATHERI thought you might say that.

9. Put a Little Love In Your Heart

CURTAIN CALL

Songs

1. Christmas (arrange) – Gr. 12. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch – Gr. 23. Where Are You Christmas (after kids are told about losing the farm) – Gr.

3/44. Must Be Santa Claus!- Kindergarten5. May You Find Love This Christmas (arrange) - Parents6. Away In a Manger – Gr. 57. Friendly Beasts – Pre-K8. Angels We Have Heard On High (handbells) Gr. 3/49. Put a Little Love In Your Heart

a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbQjL5NKnP0 (karaoke)b. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3J_3mcOwdQ