Do You Remember, Child?

This heartfelt Christmas play weaves together past and present in a touching story about faith that endures through generations.

On Christmas Eve, young Mara confides her worries about the world to her mother, Ellen. Through gentle storytelling, Ellen guides her daughter through the stories of others who found hope when life felt uncertain — from shepherds and mothers in Bethlehem to modern-day families facing fear and doubt.

Each vignette—both biblical and modern—reminds us that God’s light still shines through ordinary people who choose to trust Him.

A perfect choice for churches looking to combine multiple short skits and carols into one cohesive Christmas program full of warmth, nostalgia, and faith.

Includes:

1. Age Unimportant
2. The Messiah of the Manger
3. Noisy Night (new)
4. Light in the Shadows: Hope (Christmas version; Week 1 skit series)
5. Come See My Child

Run-Time: approximately 30 minutes (Christmas hymns optional)

Cast Number:  18+, room to grow cast number with nativity animals or crowd.

Central Theme:
Even in a weary world, God’s light endures. Each remembered story—biblical or modern—reveals someone who trusted God in uncertain times.

Tone & Setting:
Simple staging—living-room corner for the present-day scenes; soft lighting changes suggest the shift into each “memory.” A few props (blanket, lantern, manger, walking stick) help distinguish the vignettes.

Sample Script

Opening Scene: “The Night Before”
(Lights low, maybe a single lamp. Wrapping paper, cocoa mugs, quiet music faintly playing in the background.)

MARA sits on the floor surrounded by half-wrapped gifts, her phone face-down beside her. A few headlines might’ve just scrolled across it—war, layoffs, school safety—whatever fits your congregation’s mood.

ELLEN (her mother) enters quietly, holding two mugs.
ELLEN: Still at it? You’ll have that paper sticking to your elbows before the night’s done.

MARA: (laughs softly) Just trying to make it all perfect for Grandma and Grandpa.

ELLEN: Perfect’s overrated. Warm cocoa, maybe a half-straight bow—that’s enough.

A pause. The tension creeps back.

MARA: It just feels… heavier this year. The news, the world, everything. I used to think Christmas made it all better. Now I’m not sure what to think. What kind of world are we growing up in?

ELLEN: (sets mug down, sits beside her) The same kind I did. The same kind your grandparents did. A world that’s always been a little broken—and always been loved anyway.

MARA: That’s easy for you to say.

ELLEN: Not really. I used to stress and worry too—until your grandmother set me straight.
(She looks toward the audience.)
She’d say, “When you start to lose heart, remember who else has stood in the dark and still trusted the light.”

MARA: Who?

ELLEN: Oh… I could tell you stories.

MARA: (softly) Please do.

ELLEN: (smiles) Well, as you know, God never waited for people to have it all figured out. He’s been using the old, the young, the strong, and the scared for as long as anyone’s been breathing.

(Lights shift, faint music begins—perhaps O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. The first vignette unfolds.)

Scene 2 – “Age Unimportant”

Five children reveal that God uses anyone willing to say yes.

REPORTER: And what is your name?

DAVID: My name is David. To some I’m a shepherd; to others, a king.

REPORTER: And you?

NOAH: I’m Noah. One day I looked up and God said, “Build a boat.” Next thing I knew, I was a sailor.

REPORTER: You must be Mary.

MARY: (smiles shyly) Yes. An angel told me I would have a baby—God’s Son.

REPORTER: And who are you?

JOSEPH: I’m Joseph—people remember me for my colorful coat and how God turned prison into purpose.

REPORTER: So, what job did God give you?

DAVID: God wanted me to be king.
NOAH: God wanted me to save His people from the flood.
MARY: God wanted me to be the mother of His Son.
JOSEPH: God wanted me to feed my family when they were hungry.

REPORTER: Were you afraid. . . 

(Mother and daughter reflection)

Scene 3 – “The Messiah of the Manger”

Two men wrestle with the absurd idea that salvation could come as a child.

JC: You have no idea what we just heard! The shepherds are running through the streets shouting, “The Messiah has come!”

JT: (in disbelief) The Messiah? Born in a manger? That’s absurd!

JC: The long-awaited Savior, the one Isaiah promised—born where animals feed?

JT: How can centuries of hope end with a baby in straw?

JC: Unless… it’s exactly how God planned it. Isaiah did say a child would lead us.

JT: (softens) Could God really bring deliverance through something so small?

JC: (quietly) Maybe hope doesn’t come wrapped in crowns and armies… maybe it comes wrapped in cloth.

(Mother and daughter reflection)

Scene 4 – “Light in the Shadows: Hope”

A modern reflection of trust in uncertainty.

ETHAN: (pacing) Okay, just breathe. It’s only an interview. Just another chance.
(laughs nervously) Another chance—right. I’ve had five of those since Thanksgiving.

He sinks into a chair, rubbing his forehead.

ETHAN: When I got laid off, everyone said, “You’ll bounce back quick.” Well, experience doesn’t pay rent. Then this call comes from the company where I used to intern—didn’t even apply. Maybe the door opened on its own… or maybe Someone opened it.

(He stops, voice soft.)
But what if they remember the mistakes I made? The missed deadline?

(He bows his head.)
Lord, I’m tired. I don’t know how this ends—but I’m choosing to hope,
not because I see the way,
but because You’re already here.
If You could be born in a manger,
You can meet me in this waiting room . . 

(Mother and daughter reflection)

Scene 5 – “The Noisy Night”

A lighthearted retelling of the Nativity through the eyes of a weary donkey.

DONKEY: Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep around here? I haul people all day, and all I wanted tonight was a little peace and quiet. But nooo—here comes this nice couple from out of town, dragging luggage and looking exhausted.

JOSEPH: Sorry, friend! Every inn’s full. You don’t mind if we stay here, do you?

DONKEY: Mind? I live here! But fine. Make yourself at home… in my home.

MARY: (smiling gently) Thank you, Donkey. God has brought us this far—He’ll see us through tonight.

DONKEY: (grumbles) She talks like she actually believes that. (beat) Maybe she does.

(Mary and Joseph settle down. A baby’s cry fills the air.)

DONKEY: And there it is! A baby! Right there in my feed box. MY feed box!

JOSEPH: (beaming) His name is Jesus.

DONKEY: Well, Jesus, welcome to the neighborhood. It’s… loud. (sniffs the air) Speaking of loud—here come the shepherds!

(Shepherds burst in with excitement.)

SHEPHERD 1: We heard angels! Singing right over our sheep!

SHEPHERD 2: They told us to find the Savior here!

DONKEY: And apparently, they brought their sheep as backup. (dodges an invisible sheep) Great. I’ll be counting sheep for real tonight. . .

(Mother and daughter reflection)

Scene 6 – “Come See My Child”

A quiet, heartfelt monologue from Mary after the visitors have gone.

MARY: Oh… more visitors? I thought everyone had gone. I hope you feel welcome—it’s only a stable, but it’s the best we could find.

You’ve come to see the baby, haven’t you? You’re not the first tonight. Shepherds, wise men… strangers from far away. All came searching for a promise, and somehow they found it here.

(looks down at the manger)
He looks so small right now, doesn’t He? Just another newborn, wrapped in cloth and lying where the animals feed. But I know—God’s promise is alive in Him.

There were moments when I was afraid. None of this was what I expected. No home, no bed, no certainty about tomorrow. And yet… somehow, I feel held. . . 

(Soft Silent Night plays as Ellen and Mara step forward for the final reflection. They remind the audience that the story isn’t finished—God’s light still moves from heart to heart. The play closes in candlelight with Joy to the World.)

Want to see how the story unfolds? DramaShare members get this complete script— and access to our entire library—free! Not a member? You can still grab this individual script and bring it to life.