Parable Of The Christmas Symbols

Jesus taught through parables—simple stories with deep meaning. In this charming and thoughtful skit, storyteller John brings new life to familiar Christmas symbols, using the tree, holly, and candy cane to teach a group of restless Sunday School kids about the true meaning of Christmas. Alongside friends like Vi, Ed, and Alice, John patiently guides the children—especially the skeptical Freddie, who’s carrying more than just questions.

As questions fly and doubts surface (thanks to the outspoken Donna), the audience gets to watch as hearts soften, perspectives shift, and the timeless story of Jesus’ birth becomes personal once again.

 Cast: 15+

• Adult actors:
• John, storyteller
  Vi
  Ed
  Donna
  Child actors with speaking parts (preteen)
  Freddie, disadvantaged kid
  Amanda
  Stephen
  • Child actors, some of which have small speaking part (preteen)

Bible Reference: several
Set:  very plain Sunday School room
Sound: standard
Song:
Lighting:standard
SFX:
Props: Bible
Costumes:  standard
Special Instructions:
Time: 35

 Sample script:

(Scene opens with John sitting onstage, a group of children seated on the floor listening as John tells a story. Ed, Vi, and Alice are watching, smiling in approval. Donna enters just before the first line, listening but unimpressed.)

John:
So that’s the story of the Christmas candy cane and how, through the candy cane, we can better understand Christmas.

Child 1:
That was an awesome story.

Child 2:
Mr. R sure does tell good stories.

Child 3:
Yeh, sure does.

Child 4:
Yeh, but let’s get outta here, get our candy canes before they are all gone.

(Children exit the stage.)

Alice:
John, you are an excellent storyteller!

Ed:
He certainly is, Alice. The kids in all the Children’s Church classes love to hear John’s stories. Hardest working guy in the Children’s Church department here at Hope International Church!

John:
Now that’s not true, Ed. We at Hope International are blessed with so many people who spend tons of time telling the story of Jesus’ love to our kids. Each leader has their own way of telling the story of the love of God—my way just happens to be storytelling.

Vi:
Well frankly, I don’t know how you do it, John. When I try to get the kids to settle down for a story, they are off in another world within minutes.

Donna:
Well, you have always impressed me with your storytelling, and even my Graham seems mesmerized when he listens to you… and that’s saying something; Graham is the world’s most fidgety kid.
(beat)
And please don’t take offense, John, but I’m not sure your story about the candy cane was appropriate for Children’s Church.

Alice (shocked):
Donna, how can you say that? I thought John’s story was excellent and very insightful. And the kids loved it!

Donna:
Alice, I am not speaking against John or his storytelling, but… the story is technically inaccurate.

Vi:
I don’t understand… Technically inaccurate in what way?

Donna:
John is using symbols, like candy canes, to illustrate the birth and life of Jesus, and those symbols used in the story are simply not Christian in origin.

Ed:
Which symbols, Donna?

Donna:
Hey wait, this is looking like I am going against John, and that’s not what I am trying to do.

John:
No, that’s fine Donna. You have concerns and we should discuss it. We are all friends here and we all want what’s best for our kids. Go ahead, Donna, please.

Donna:
Well, OK. John, in your story you said that mistletoe is a symbol of our dependence on God; that is simply not found anywhere in the Bible, let alone in the Christmas story.

Alice:
Mistletoe has no roots of its own. It attaches itself to another tree for its nourishment and support. If that tree should die, the mistletoe will die as well.

Vi:
And in my mind, that is true symbolism of the Christmas story. God fully knew that man could not stand on his own spiritually speaking, so God sent His son Jesus that we could affix our hope of salvation to Him. We live and exist only because of God and His love through Jesus.

Donna:
And are you saying that we teach our children about the symbolism of the Christmas tree, even though the fir tree was first worshipped by pagans?

Vi:
Pagan symbols, including the fir tree, were, after all, made by God.

Donna (frustrated):
But these symbols are not from the Bible and therefore are not biblical!

John:
Your point is valid, Donna. But neither were the sower, the pearl, or the mustard seed in the scrolls when Jesus was on earth.

Donna (confused):
The sower, the pearl, and the mustard seed? I have no idea where you are going with this!

John (smiles):
Sorry, Donna, I don’t mean to confuse you. But what I am saying is that Jesus spoke in symbolized stories—stories He called parables—to make people listen to His message. He used the sower, the pearl, the mustard seed, and many other common items in His parables.

Donna:
Jesus used parables to teach those around Him, so they would learn. I will admit that the kids do pay attention to your stories, John, but are they learning the basics they need to know?

Vi:
Actually, Donna, if you check what Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew chapter 13, He wasn’t speaking in parables so that people would learn. In fact, Jesus said He spoke in parables so some of those who heard wouldn’t understand.

Ed:
I always wondered about what Jesus said, “Those who have ears to hear, let him hear.”

Vi:
Seems to me Jesus spoke in parables to make people—those with ears to hear—look deeper for a meaning.

John:
And that is what I am trying to do when I tell stories to the children. I want them to listen to the story, but even more importantly, I want these stories to urge the kids to dig deeper into the meaning behind the story.

Donna:
So you are saying your storytelling is your parables?

John:
Well, I am not claiming to be in the same league with Jesus, but my aim is to create a healthy hunger for learning in the minds of the kids.

Donna (thinking):
So it’s the parable of the candy cane?

John:
Well, the story is about more than just the candy cane.

Donna:
I realize that. It’s all the things that I have always felt kept us away from the real essential issues of the Christmas story.

Ed:
And there is no doubt they can, and often do.

Alice:
I guess it is up to Christians like us to ensure that we all focus on the essential issues.

Ed:
But maybe we can use some parable-type stories to help us, and non-Christians, dig deeper into the message of Christmas.

Donna:
Interesting… The parable of the candy cane!

Alice:
What’s wrong with that?

Donna:
Nothing, actually… (thinks) …In fact, I maybe kinda like the concept.

John:
Well, pray for me, here comes the fourth-grade Sunday School class… and I don’t have to tell you that they are some of our… more outspoken kids!

Donna (laughs):
We will pray, for sure.

(A group of children enters and sits in downstage locations. John moves to them.)

John:
Hi guys, welcome to fourth-grade church.

(Various greetings of “hi,” “hello Mr. R,” etc.)

Freddie:
When are we gonna get candy canes?

Amanda:
Teacher said you were all about candy canes today.

John (smiles):
Well, Freddie, Amanda, we are going to be talking about candy canes…

Freddie:
“Talkin’?”… Oh brother!

Amanda:
I could have gone fishing with my dad.

Stephen:
Knock it off, you guys; this might not be so bad.

John:
Well, Stephen, I promise to try my best to make it “not so bad” and maybe even quite interesting.

Freddie:
How long you figure this here will take?

John:
Time will just fly by, Freddie. You will hardly even notice.

Freddie:
Yah right!… OK, sooner we get started…

John:
I’ll take that as excitement to get started!
Today, we’re going to be talking about the symbols of Christmas.

Child 1:
I know about cymbals for Christmas! My mom is buying my dad new cymbals for his drums…
(looks around)
But I promised I wouldn’t blab, so if you see my dad, don’t say nothing, OK?

John (chuckles):
I’m sure your dad will be real pleased with getting cymbals for Christmas, but that’s not the kind of symbols I was thinking about.

Child 2:
Mr. R means symbols, like a Christmas tree.

Child 3:
My dad hauls the Christmas tree out on Thanksgiving Day. He says the tree gets him in the Christmas spirit.

John:
I agree, the Christmas tree does get us thinking about Christmas. And we can learn a lot from the Christmas tree.
The fir tree stays green all year long, reminding us of what it says in Jeremiah 31:3—that God’s love is everlasting.

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.