This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission from purchased products at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
A Children’s Christmas Play For Small Churches
Christmas is coming! Check out this free fully scripted children’s Christmas play called “The Great Christmas Program Disaster” in your small church.
Finding children’s Christmas programs that work for small churches can certainly be tough!
We get it!
- You might not have enough children to fill the roles of a play.
- You may have a bunch of littles, but only 1 or 2 can read.
- Your batch of kids this year might be super shy.
We are working on a growing list of Christmas program options for small churches! (More are on the way!)
Here’s one if you happen to have 7 readers that can hold their own with a script! Included below are the first few pages of “The Great Christmas Program Disaster” so you can get the feel of this one. Request the full 15-page script by email below.
The Great Christmas Program Disaster
About The Great Christmas Program Disaster:
This play is tailor-made for small churches that want an easy, affordable, flexible, and fun Christmas program to do with multiple age levels in their church family.
This play incorporates elementary-aged children in easy-to-rehearse roles, where photos are shot and placed into PowerPoint slides prior to the live performance at times that are convenient to you. There is an opportunity to have a young children’s choir sing live during the presentation if you would like, but the beauty of this play is that many parts can be adapted to your particular group and volunteers.
This is a fun experience for both children and families alike to get to watch themselves in the live program as the small group of main characters who are on stage discuss the “Great Disaster” using the pre-shot media.
We hope you enjoy it!
Cast Of Characters:
- Pastor Hanson
- Karen Hanson (wife to Pastor Hanson)
- Jeff Hanson (teen son of Pastor Hanson)
- Pam the Sunday school teacher
- Julie the Christian Ed Director
- John the Program Director
- Mr. Parker
Notes: The entire play takes place in the pastor’s living room. The pastor uses a laptop to share pictures of last year’s Christmas program with his team for this year’s program. The audience will see these pictures on your church screen. It doesn’t technically have to be the “on stage” pastor who changes the audience’s slide pictures. Your sound/av/media person can handle that, just as they would the slides during a church service. Optional: Have a children’s choir perform before the play begins or at the conclusion.
The Great Christmas Program Disaster
Scene Setting:
Living room scene (couch, chairs, coffee table, etc.) should have an area off to the side designated as the ‘door.’ (We had someone make a door on a self-standing frame, but you can also just pretend.) *laptop needed as a prop
The scene opens with Pastor Hanson in the living room, straightening things up.
Pastor: Are you almost done in the kitchen girls? Everybody should be arriving in just a few minutes.
Karen: (voice from offstage) I’m taking the last batch of cookies out of the oven right now. Coffee is ready and on the tray.
[Doorbell rings. Pastor answers the ‘door.’ C.E. Director enters stage]
Pastor: Why hello Julie, I’m so glad you could make it out tonight! Please, come in and sit down.
Julie: (looking around) I hope I’m not too early, Pastor.
Pastor: No, not at all, the others should be here any minute. Can I get you a cup of coffee?
Julie: That would be great, thank you. It’s a little chilly out there tonight!
[Pastor exits. While he is gone, the doorbell rings again.]
Julie: (yells to Pastor) Would you like me to get that, Pastor?
Pastor: (From offstage) If you wouldn’t mind Julie, that would be great.
[Julie answers the door. Choir Director (CD) and Sunday School (SS) Teacher come on stage.]
John (CD): Well, Julie, we didn’t expect you to be answering the door. Are we at the right house?
Looking for something fresh and new for the holiday season?
Check out the Blue Christmas Pack & the Advent Worship Pack!
Julie: (laughs) Just the hired help … no, Pastor is in the kitchen getting some coffee. I decided to make myself useful. Come on in and sit down. Let me hang up your coats. (We had a self-standing coat rack on the side of the stage for this.)
Pam: Thanks, Julie. Sure is a chilly one out there tonight, isn’t it?
John: Hey, Pam, are those chocolate chip cookies I smell? You don’t suppose the pastor’s wife made some of her famous cookies, just for us, do you?
Pam: We can only pray John, we can only pray!
[Pastor and his wife enter the room with coffee and cookies and sets them down on the coffee table.]
John: Well, Pam, praise the Lord for answered prayers!!
[All laugh.]
Pastor: Okay, am I missing something here?
Pam: Not at all, pastor, we are just thanking God for little blessings, like your wife’s chocolate chip cookies!
Pastor: I would have to add a hearty amen to that one as well!
Karen: Well, thank you all so much. I guess the cook’s talents are appreciated after all! Does everybody have what they need? I’ll be in the kitchen cleaning up if you need me for anything, dear. Have a good meeting all!
[Karen exits off stage.]
[Pastor sits down and gets out his notebook and pen.]
Pastor: Well, it’s hard to believe it, but it’s time to start putting together the annual Christmas program again. First, I want to take a minute and thank you all for volunteering your time and gifts on this committee. Let’s start out with a word of prayer.
[Pastor says a short prayer.]
Pastor: Pam, would you be willing to act as secretary and take notes tonight?
Pam: Sure, Pastor, no problem. Although, I don’t expect you to be able to read my writing, so give me a day to take them home and type them up on the computer.
Pastor: That’s fine, whatever you like. Okay, the first order of business is to review last year’s program and see what worked, what didn’t, and if we want to make any changes.
[A brief moment of silence. Then everyone in the room looks at each other and bursts into laughter]
John: Changes? Um, yes, I think a few changes might be in order!
Julie: That is of course unless you like disasters in action!! (laughing)
Pam: Come on now, people, I wouldn’t refer to it as a disaster … per se … (pause) okay, you’re right, no other way to describe it, disaster is the only word that comes to mind!!
Pastor: Alright, alright, I know it wasn’t the perfect program we all had planned for, but you’ve got to admit that it was different from any other program that we have ever done!!
[All laugh.]
Julie: That’s a very polite way of putting it, Pastor!
…
That’s Just The Start Of The Great Christmas Program Disaster!
Instead of including the full 15-page script here, we figured you’d rather have a free PDF! If you enjoyed the teaser, request the whole script here. You’ll receive an email with the 15-page PDF script inside.
Read More
6 Monologues For The Christmas Season
The Dos And Don’ts Of Planning Worship For Easter And Christmas
Thanks for sharing!
Of course! There will be more coming!
Could I get a copy for the FULL script of the The Great Christmas Program Disaster? thank you, from a small church in Carthage MO.
Hi Gwendolynn – If you scroll through the article you’ll see a form to request the full PDF. Just fill that out with your name and email and it’ll be sent right away. If you’ve done that and did not receive, please email hello@smallchurchministry.com and we’ll help!