Christ's Mass Eve

A group of friends show up at church expecting free food—or maybe a surprise Christmas gift from the pastor. Instead, they get roped into writing (and performing!) the church’s Christmas Eve skit.

What starts as playful banter about presents and video games turns into an unexpected crash course on the real meaning of Advent. With humor, honesty, and a few hilarious misconceptions along the way, this script reminds everyone that hope, not hurry, is what marks the season.

A light, funny, and heartfelt piece, perfect for youth or adult ensembles ready to share both laughter and truth this Christmas.

Cast: 10+ (m or f, youth age)

• Alex, (the most lines)
• Brett
• Elliott
• Hudson
• Kennedy
• Mackenzie
• Regan
• Specncer
• Taylor
• Winter

Bible Reference: Matthew 1-2
Set: Bare
Sound: wireless mics if available
Song: none
Lighting: spot on nativity scene
SFX: none
Props: food, notepad, advent wreath and candles
Costumes: traditional costumes for Mary, Joseph angels, kings, shepherds
Special Instructions:

• Actors will leave the group, putting on costumes and form nativity scene as shepherds, kings, angels, and they as well as Mary & Joseph when indicated in script, will continue to say lines as part of nativity

Time: 17

Sample script:

All actors except Alex come on stage.

Brett: So what’s happening? I got an email telling me I was supposed to be here at church for some Christmas thing. . . I have a busy schedule and don’t want to be wasting time.

Elliott: Don’t feel too special, Brett, we all got the same email.

Hudson: Nothing specific in the email, Elliott, but my guess is Pastor plans to get all of us a big Christmas present. (pulls a notepad out of pocket) . . In anticipation I have written down a few suggestions, (reads from pad) . . Madden 16 video game, wireless headphone hat, 1 acre of land on the moon . . .

Kennedy: It might happen, Hudson, but my guess is more along the line of 2 years of all-expense paid professional reality check.

Mackenzie: Well, Kennedy, not sure Hudson will get an all-clear signal after just 2 years of counselling but it’s worth a try.

Regan: Personally I would go for candy and nuts, I missed dinner.

Spencer: So who is gonna break the news to us of the reason we really were called here?

Taylor: I plan to give it 5 minutes and I will leave.

Winter: Don’t leave without me, Taylor.

Alex enters stage.

Alex: Don’t anybody move a muscle! . . . I’ve been with Pastor and he has this fantastic opportunity for us guys.

Hudson: Why do I get the feeling we should all make a break for the door?

Kennedy: Last time I heard about the Pastor’s great opportunity I ended up in the nursery with partly digested baby food on my shoe.

Alex: This is nothing like nursery duty . . This is solid gold number one opportunity.

Brett: OK, Alex, let’s hear it before we start a stampede for the doors.

Alex: This will take a couple of minutes so why don’t we start with some food?

Winter: That proves it’s a con, but I believe in looking a gift horse in the food basket.

Regan: I see what you are saying, Winter, but remember I missed dinner. Everybody grab a chair, grab some food. . . . Alex, you can give the lowdown on this opportunity while we eat.

All get food.

Alex: Great, Regan, now here’s the good news. . . . Pastor wants a Christmas Eve program.

Elliott: Late breaking news for you, Alex. Pastor has a Christmas Eve program every year.

Alex: Yeh but . . the exciting part is Pastor wants us to do the Christmas Eve program.

Brett: I hate to eat and run but . . . here I go . .. eating and running.

Alex: Guys, Pastor told me all about what he has in mind; it is really, really exciting.

Hudson: OK, Alex. . . . While I finish my sandwich you feed me more of this really, really exciting news.

Alex: We write a short script about Christmas . . .

Kennedy: Hey, that’s not so bad, I kinda like writing skits.

Alex: See, didn’t I tell you, exciting? And after we write the script . . then we act it out.

Mackenzie: Surely you didn’t expect us guys to go along with this idea, did you Alex?

Regan: Just hold up a minute, guys, I mean how bad can this be?

Alex: Exactly, I mean . .

Spencer: I say let’s do it. . . Might be fun if we all get at it.

Tyler: OK, so what is this gonna be all about anyhow?

Winter: Uhhhh . . . (spoken slowly as to a child) . . . Christmas.

Brett: OK, so what does Christmas mean?

Elliott: Think of the word . . . Christ . . mas.

Hudson: In my house it’s Chris . . . muss! . . . Tons of food and wrapping paper all over the house.

Kennedy: Everyone knows what Christmas means. . . Christmas is when Jesus was born.

Alex: Christmas means . . Christ’s mass, an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. The final step in an annual adventure which the church calls Advent.

Mackenzie: What’s Advent?

Regan: It’s a something that church people do; happens sometime between Christmas and Halloween, mostly.

Spencer: Why is it that at Advent church people don’t give gifts like at Christmas, or go trick or treating like at Halloween?

Taylor: No, it’s not that kind of thing. It’s . . . well . . .

Winter: Thing is, church folks, they light a bunch of candles and stuff.

Brett: Why do they do that?

Elliott: ‘Cause they . . . just . . do. .

Alex: We light candles of the advent wreath on the Sundays during Advent. The wreath is a circle, reminding us God is endless and eternal, without beginning or end.
The green color reminds us of our hope through God; hope for renewal, salvation and eternal life.
Candles remind us God came into the world through His Son, Jesus Christ, as a man, suffered and died for our sins, so we could have a home in heaven.

Hudson: Yeah, basically, that’s what I was gonna say.

Actors lift eyebrows.

Kennedy: How come only one wreath but five candles?

Mackenzie: Well, I am not sure, likely it’s . .

Regan: Matter of space, see there’s just not room for four wreaths so they . .

Alex: The four outer candles symbolize the time of waiting and anticipation which we celebrate in the four Sundays of Advent. The center candle represents Jesus Christ; He was, and is, central to our faithful hope. And so it is that the first candle, which we light first, is a symbol of the hope we have in salvation, and the hope of Jesus’ return.