Creating New Family Traditions

Family deals with traditions, difficulties.

A grandmother is facing a health scare with cancer surgery following the Christmas season. How a family deals with difficulties and with family traditions.
A two-act drama, useful at any time of the year.

Cast:  5

• 5, most could be m or f
  • Gommie, grandmother, senior
  • Linda, daughter, middle age
  • Don, son-in-law, middle age
  • Jenna, granddaughter, mid teen
  • Tim, grandson, early teen

Bible Reference:  1 Timothy 5:4

Set:

•  Act 1 is in kitchen,
• Act 2 is in living room
  • (could be just blank sets with table and couch, chairs)

Lighting: standard

Sound:   wireless mics if available

Song:   none

SFX:       none

Costumes:      standard

Props: none

Special Instructions:   none

Time: 25

Sample of script:

Act I – Family Kitchen

Linda is working in the kitchen, phone rings

Mom: Hello . . .

(pause)

Oh hi Mom, how are you?

(pause)

Doing great Mom . .

(pause)

No, Don isn’t home from work yet.

(pause)

Jenna is at a friend’s . .

(pause)

No actually it is a boy . . friend.

(pause)

No Mom, I am not concerned that Jenna is visiting a boy . .

(pause)

Mom, Brian is a good kid . . his parents are our best friends . .

(pause)

You have to remember . . . they are sixteen . . .

(pause)

Yes sixteen is young . . . but if you will remember . . you and dad were engaged when you were sixteen . .

(pause)

No Mom . . . Jenna is not getting engaged . . .

(pause)

Yes Mom, I have talked to Jenna about making school her priority.  Your granddaughter is a wise young lady Mom.

(pause)

Yes, Tim is doing very well in school Mom.

(pause, smiles)

No, Tim doesn’t have a girlfriend Mom . .  He is only thirteen Mom.

(pause)

Yes you are right Mom, it will for sure soon be Christmas.

(pause)

Actually Mom, I was wanting to talk to you about Christmas. . . Don and I would like it if you would come here for Christmas this year.

(pause)

Yes, I know we have always come to your house for Christmas since Dad died, but . .

(pause)

Well, we just think it would be nice to have you here, and to let the kids have some of their friends around for the holidays.

(pause, Don comes on stage, waves to Linda, she mouths “Mom”)

No of course you won’t stay home alone for Christmas. . .  We want you to come and be with us, here in our house this year. . . And it will save you all that work getting ready for a houseful.

(pause)

Well, please think about it Mom. . . Don and the kids would really like for you to spend Christmas at our house this year.

(pause)

OK Mom, well you think about it and call me.

(pause)

Love you too Mom . . Bye for now.

hangs up phone

Don:         Let me guess . . . Donna wasn’t overjoyed about your idea of her coming here for Christmas.

Linda:       Well, it’s something new; she has had Christmas at her house for all these years.

Don:         Listen, we can go be with your Mom, it’s no big thing.

Linda:       It is to me Don. I really do want to have Christmas here. And, like I told Mom, it will save her all that work.

Don:         My mother-in-law is a wonderful person and I love her like crazy . .  but she can be a little stubborn at times. . . . A trait she may have passed along to her kids.

Linda, smile:  Watch it husband! . . I will have you know I don’t have a stubborn bone in my body!

Don, innocent:  Did you think I was referring to you Linda? . .  Nah, I was thinking of your brother Charlie.

Linda:  Careful mister, there may be something a little extra in your coffee!

Don:  Would be nice to have Christmas here Linda, but not if it means taking a special pleasure away from your mom. . .  Maybe we should spend Christmas with your mom, just one more time?

Linda: Which was what we said last year, as I recall.

Don:  I know. . .  I know. . . But she feels so special being in charge. . . Donna is a beautiful lady . . in fact if I hadn’t met her daughter first I likely would have married the mother.

Linda, hugs Don:
You two. . . I swear my Mom loves you more than she loves me! . . No one could ever say anything bad about you in front of my Mom! . .  Not even me.

Tim comes on stage

Don, thinks:   Quite a lady! . . . Feisty and fiery! . . But an old softie, a cream puff on the inside. Hon, let’s spend Christmas with your mom this year.

Linda smile:   There you go, siding with your mother-in-law again! . . But let’s just hold off on making plans, Mom said she will call back in a couple of days.

Tim:         What are you guys talking about? . . . Of course we will be going to Gommie’s for Christmas! . .  We always go to Gommie’s for Christmas!

Jenna comes on stage

Linda:        I was just thinking, wouldn't it be nice to have Christmas here at home, you could have some friends over during the holidays.

Tim:         Friends I can have anytime. . . Christmas is Gommie time.

Jenna:        What do you mean Mother; why aren’t we going to Gommie’s for Christmas?

Tim:         I never heard of anything so weird . . . why wouldn’t we go to Gommie’s for Christmas?

Don, to Linda: Feel a little outnumbered hon?

Linda: I am surprised with you Jenna . . . I thought that now you have a part-time job you would want to be around home. . . (winks, smiles) . . Not to mention having Brian hanging around. 

Jenna: Mother . . . Brian is my boyfriend . . . It’s not like we are joined at the hip! . . And when I took the job at The Pants Shack I told my boss I would have to have time off at Christmas to go visit my Gommie. . . (giggles) . . And then I had to explain to my boss that Gommie is what I call my grandmother. . . He still teases me about that. 

Tim: How did Gommie get that name? 

Don: When Jenna was little she couldn’t say Grandma or Grammy, it sounded more like Gommie . . . and the name just kinda stuck. 

Jenna: Fiddlesticks! . . I want to go to Gommie’s for Christmas . . and that’s that! 

Linda & Don, in unison: Gommie! 

Jenna: What? 

Don: Jenna, you sound more like Gommie every day! 

Jenna: Well that’s not quite a disaster then, is it? . . It could be worse . . . I could sound like my creepy little brother.