The night before Christmas in Shoppyville

In Shoppie-ville, Christmas is all about shopping—pokies take their time, while flurries rush through. But on Christmas Eve, one flurry Shoppie falls into a snowy ditch, calling for help. Preoccupied with their gifts, other Shoppies ignore the cries and hurry home. Just when all hope seems lost, young Shoppies arrive, sacrificing their Christmas gifts to create a stepping path for the fallen flurry to climb out. Their selflessness turns Christmas into a true season of giving, showing that helping others is the greatest gift of all.

This script can be used as a sidecoach narrative in which participants hear the story for the first time as they create movement spontaneously. The story can also be used as narration for a practiced, rehearsed mime piece.

Run-Time:

Approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on pacing and narration.

Cast Number:

• Flexible Cast Size
  • Minimum: 5 actors (Flurry, 2 Pokies, 2 Flurries)
  • Additional Shoppies can be added for crowd scenes

Biblical Reference:

Luke 10:25-37 – The Parable of the Good Samaritan
("Love your neighbor as yourself.")

Matthew 25:40 – "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

Sample of script:

(Once upon a time, there was a village called Shoppie-ville. The villagers called themselves the Shoppies. They looked very much like you and me—well, pretty much.)

(Shoppies enter. This line encourages creative costumes. Fun costumes create humor in this line.)

Narrator:
Shoppies LOVED to shop. Shoppies shopped just about any time. Throughout Shoppie-ville, Shoppies scurried from store to store with bundles of bags and boxes. The scurrying Shoppies could be found shopping at any time—yawning in the morning, hot and tired in the afternoon, and even sleeping in the night. And all that time, they just kept shopping!

So, it is really no surprise that the Shoppies loved Christmas. To a citizen of Shoppie-ville, Christmas was the grandest season of all. It was a time to see family, shake hands with friends, and try to remember the names of long-lost acquaintances. Oh, not necessarily on the holiday—usually, it was while shopping.

There were basically two types of Shoppies during the Christmas shopping season: the pokies and the flurries.

Pokies

(The pokies enter, carrying multiple shopping bags, moving at a slow but deliberate pace.)

Narrator:
The pokies scurried between shops, but once inside, their pace slowed amazingly. First, they found special places to set their piles of packages. Then, they poked through the store, looking at each item closely.

“Have to be a smart shopper,” they claimed.

To get a full perspective, they looked closely at items, almost hurting their noses. Then they took a few steps back and squinted at the items from far away, causing sore eyes. Pokies checked items carefully before buying. They bumped, shook, squeezed, jiggled, pushed, pulled, and spun just about everything in the store at least twice. As they poked and sniffed merchandise, pokie Shoppies hummed carols and enjoyed the feeling of Christmas—the feeling for Shoppies, at least.

Flurries

(The flurries enter, moving quickly, barely stopping as they shop.)

Narrator:
Now, the flurries scurried between shops and within them. Once inside a store, flurries frantically found special spots to set their piles of presents. Then, they rapidly ran down their lists.

“The more we stop, the less we shop,” flurries claimed.

In a flash, they bumped, shook, squeezed, giggled, pushed, pulled, and spun just about everything in the store—but only once. As flurries hurried, they stacked their gifts higher and higher and higher. Picking up their piles of presents, they peered up at the bells, garland, and ornaments decorating the wrapping paper. Flurries enjoyed the feeling of Christmas—the feeling for Shoppies, at least.

Christmas Eve Chaos

(Shoppies of all kinds fill the stage, poking, scurrying, and shopping frantically.)

Narrator:
Christmas Eve arrived. Shoppies of all kinds shopped and shopped and shopped. Pokies poked, and flurries hurried. The pace amazed even the shopkeepers!

That night, a cold winter wind blew bulging grey clouds into Shoppie-ville. Soon, a white blanket of snow covered the town. The roads were slippery, and the sidewalks slick.

(A particular flurry Shoppie enters, carrying many shopping bags.)

That Christmas Eve night, one particular flurry envisioned Christmas morning with boxes upon boxes, bows wrapping bows, candy-covered candy, and colorful Christmas cards. The Shoppie was ready for Christmas morning—well, almost. This particular flurry had been pokie about Christmas shopping. As Christmas Eve, the last opportunity to shop, neared its end, the pokie flurry scampered through the snow toward downtown Shoppie-ville.

(The flurry suddenly slips and falls.)

Suddenly, the Shoppie slipped, slid, and skidded on some ice. With a “Ker-splat,” the flurry toppled into an icy, snowy ditch! The flurry tried to climb out.

“Ker-splat,” cried the ground as the flurry fell again.

Quickly, the thoughts of boxes and bows vanished. The flurry was alone, cold, and trapped in the deep ditch. The Christmas snow continued to fall.

(A group of flurry Shoppies rush by, too busy to notice the fallen flurry.)

A couple of flurry Shoppies scurried close by the ditch, holding their many presents high in the air. They had their arms tilted at just the right angle to keep the presents upright. With eyes fixed straight ahead, they took swift, synchronized steps through the snow. In their hurry to get home, they failed to even notice the cries of the fallen flurry.

The flurries were everywhere, and each just as preoccupied. Some bustled from right to left, others from left to right, all moving very quickly and purposefully. They crunched their way through the icy snowdrifts, avoiding the slippery sidewalks that kept them far away from the ditch where the pokie flurry called out.

(The fallen flurry looks around, realizing no one is coming to help.)

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