Summary: Echoes of the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. Fred is a businessman with a bad attitude. It takes a few setbacks the day before Christmas to start a rethink.
Style: Light-hearted. Duration: 7min
Scripture: Proverbs 11:25. A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Actors: 1M, 1F, 2C
Characters
Fred. A businessman with a bad attitude.
Emily. Fred’s wife.
Two sweet children.
Script
(Fred enters and begins monologue.)
Fred: It was a bad day. The copier didn’t copy. The computer didn’t compute and the phone left my ears ringing. When I left the office, I was in a terrible mood. All I could think about was how much my life sucked. That’s when I met them.
(Two children enter and confront Fred.)
Child 1: Merry Christmas.
Fred: Humbug!
Child 2: Can you spare a quarter sir?
Fred: No! I earned my money and I’m going to keep every penny of it.
Child 1: But mister…
Fred: But nothing! I’ve given you my answer…now leave me alone. (Shoves children aside and continues on his way.)
Fred: (To audience.) What kind of parents would let their kids pan handle in downtown Gladstone? That was the question burning in my mind. As far as I was concerned, it was just another sign that the town was going to the dogs. Anyway, I finally got home and not a moment too soon. I was just settling into my easy chair when it started again.
(Fred settles into an easy chair in a simple but nice living room setting. Emily enters.)
Emily: Fred, turn off that TV for a minute.
Fred: Do I have to?
Emily: Don’t look at me like that. I just need a few simple things.
Fred: (Standing) Alright. What is it you need?
Emily: Two bags of buns.
Fred: (Writing on a notepad) Two bags of buns. Got it.
Emily: Three bags of bread.
Fred: Three bags of bread.
Emily: Four boxes of stuffing mix.
Fred: Four boxes of stuffing mix.
Emily: Five golden birds.
Fred: (Sarcastic) And a partridge in a pear tree. (Heads off)
Emily: Now don’t run off, I’m not done with you yet…
Fred: (Stops) Alright. What else do you want?
Emily: Six bottles of coke.
Fred: Six bottles of coke.
Emily: Seven ripe tomatoes.
Fred: Seven ripe tomatoes.
Emily: 8 Lords a leaping…
Fred: 8 Lords a leaping…
Emily: I was joking about the Lords a leaping… that’s everything.
Fred: Alright, I’ll run down to the grocery store.
Emily: Why would you run over there when you could drive?
Fred: Listen, after a day like I had today I think I’ve earned some time off.
Emily: I know, that’s why I appreciate you taking the time to get those things for me.
Fred: (Monologue. Walking.) If it’s not one thing, it’s another. The car didn’t start. The battery is dead. A fine merry Christmas if you ask me. I wonder what else could go wrong?
(Trips and falls on face in front of children.)
Child 2: Merry Christmas!
Fred: Humbug.
Child 1: Can you spare a quarter sir?
Fred: I told you before. My money is mine, not yours, now get out of my way!
Child 2: But mister!
Fred: But nothing! Leave me alone!
(Inside grocery store. Fred begins shopping.)
Fred: They were sweet kids and to be honest, I felt guilty talking to them like that. Still, I had things to do. I didn’t have time to waste on them. Let’s see, she wanted two bags of buns. These should be alright.
(Voice of Emily): No. Not Dumpsters, Dempsters. Check the spelling on the brand name, it’s important.
Fred: What?
(Voice of Emily): And when I said three bags of bread, I wanted them from the Bakery.
Fred: Wait a minute.
(Voice of Emily): Four boxes of stuffing mix. Let’s see. That’s in aisle two.
Fred: If you want to do this shopping yourself, why am I here?
(Voice of Emily): Because you’re obedient to your wife.
Fred: Bah. How’d you get here so fast anyway, the car didn’t start for me.
(Voice of Emily): I forgot to tell you, I disconnected the battery.
Fred: You disconnected the battery…why on earth would you do that?
(Voice of Emily): We’ve gotta do our part to save energy you know. Now, stop arguing. We’ve got to get this shopping done. My mother is coming over for supper.
Fred: (Monologue). My mother-in-law was coming over for supper. My day had officially hit rock bottom. We got the groceries we needed and I stomped outside, grumbling every step of the way. He meets children again.
Child 1: Merry Christmas!
Fred: Those children were standing in front of me again.
Child 2: Spare a quarter mister?
Fred: I stopped in my tracks and stared at them for a moment.
Children: Please…pretty please…
Fred. Their innocent faces reminded me of a person I had been once.
Child 1: We want to buy mommy a lollipop for Christmas.
Fred: Once I too had been joyful and carefree. What had I become? In that moment, I knew what I had to do. Kneels to level of children.
Fred: Sure, here’s a quarter, in fact, I’ll make it two. One for each of you. You can buy two lollipops.
Child 2: Wow.
Child 1: Thanks mister!
Fred: You know, giving that quarter to those kids didn’t change my circumstances. My mother-in-law still came over that night…she still brought up all the things I’d done wrong at the wedding…15 years ago. Some people are that way. But, I found that making an effort to give changed something inside of me. Even if I didn’t feel joyful myself…I could help bring joy to other people. And you know, I’ve found that when you make an effort to light up someone else’s world, your own gets a little brighter too. Right kids?
Children: Yeah!
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Copyright Kelvin Bueckert.
Free to use for non-commercial purposes. Please notify the author of performance at