Description

A family find out that the “home” or the reason for Christmas is the birth and love of Jesus.
A daughter, because of bad decisions she has made in her life, can't get home for Christmas so the family packs up and takes Christmas to her.
Has original song. Stage is divided into three acting areas for best effect.

Cast:
Mom
Dad
Gramps (grandfather)
Becky (9 year old)
Donna (12 year old)
Spike (female roommate) college age
Nancy (late teen – early 20’s)

Set:
plain set but divided into three separate sections: Stage 1 is where Nancy (and Spike) perform Stage 2 is the “home” Stage 3 for Gramps and children, and where Mom prays

Lighting: spotlights to separate the three acting locations

Song: “The Home for Holidays,” lyrics written by DramaShare
Based on the song “Home for the Holidays”
Original words & music by Al Stillman & Robert Allen
Recorded by Rosemary Clooney, 1954

Sample of script:

Spike: Well, if it isn’t my favorite roommate! How’s things Nancy, did you get the stuff?

Nancy: Hey, it’s as good as got, ok?

Spike: “As good as got”? Why do I get the idea that the translation on that is “nope, didn’t get the stuff like I said, like I promised the guys”?

Nancy: Seems like there’s a problem with my debit card, I couldn’t get money out of the machine. I will call the bank in the morning, must be a problem in the computer system.

Spike: Ya, likely that’s it! Or maybe the poor little rich kid’s folks haven’t topped up your bank account like you said they would. Maybe poor Nancy is outta green, d’ya think?

Nancy: I have lots of money in my account, always do, don’t I? And like I said, I’ll call the bank in the morning, get this straightened out.

Spike, (slaps head): Whatever am I thinking of, why would I worry? Little Nancy will go out, get the booze tomorrow morning, right? (very angry) Only reason for me to worry is that maybe the party is . . . (very loud), tonight!

Nancy: Look, I’m sorry, what do you want me to do? I can’t do anything until the banks open in the morning.

Spike: This is the second time you have let the guys down! We want you to be a part of the group but you gotta hold up your end. You know very well that the guys expect you to come up with the booze, we counted on you, and what have you done to repay us for letting you hang out with us? Let us down again, that’s what!

Nancy: Look, I said . . . . .

Spike: . . . . . I know what you said, but let me tell you, the guys are more than a little ticked over being let down time after time like this. Look, I gotta go, guys are meeting at Gerry’s in ten minutes.

Nancy: I’ll change, be right with you.

Spike: You, go to the party? I don’t think so, Loser! Guys would likely tear you apart, you show up at the party, no booze. Can’t see the guys ever letting you back in the gang, the way you have treated us! Man, I thought you were a friend! Guess you never know about a person, do you? Feel like you have stabbed me in the back, me almost begging the guys to let you in the gang in the first place!

Spike storms out, Nancy watches as Spike leaves stage

Lights down on Stage 1, up on Stage 2 where family are decorating the Christmas tree

Becky: Mom, when is Nancy gonna be coming home for Christmas?

Mom: Miss your big sister since she went off to college, don’t you?

Donna: If she brings those, (emphasize), friends, she brought home with her for Thanksgiving I would much prefer she didn’t bother coming home!

Dad: Donna! That is no way to speak about your sister! Nancy is a part of this family and there is simply no way we would have Christmas without her!

Donna: Those so-called friends of hers are just using Nancy, just cause you were foolish enough to give her money. She is buying friends is all!

Mom: Donna! That is no way to talk to your father! I will not have that kind of disrespect in this house!

Donna: Mother! You know it’s true! I overheard you and Dad talking about that one girl, Spike, you said you were worried about her influence on Nancy. And I also know that you had to send more money to Nancy cause she had overspent her allowance for the year.

Dad: Yes, dear, that’s true, we do have concerns about some of Nancy’s friends, and I want to tell you we have done more than a little praying about that situation. But Nancy is a good kid, and I don’t think she would do anything foolish.

Lights down on stage 2, up on stage 1 where Nancy is now alone

Nancy: Now what do I do? I don’t have a penny in my bank account, and somehow I have to get home for Christmas. Dad put the extra money in my account so I could buy a plane ticket home. I lied to him, I said I could get a better price on a flight if I bought the ticket here through the college. All I was doing was showing off in front of my friends. Some friends! All I am to them is someone to provide the money for booze and parties. How could I have been so blind? Some Christmas this will be!

Lights down on Stage 1, up on Stage 2 where family are talking

Donna: Face it! If I blew my money I wouldn’t get a penny until next month!

Dad: Donna! You know that we would never leave you needing anything! Everything we have, your mother and I would give to you kids if you ever needed anything, you know that! But Nancy is away from home, it’s tough trying to get along, make friends in a new and strange environment.

Donna: It’s a double standard is what it is! Maybe you will remember last week when I wanted some money to buy something I really needed? And what did you tell me?

Mom: Sweetheart, I think we try to be fair, but . . . . . .

Donna: . . . . Oh forget it! No one ever cares about me around here, just so long as Nancy all the money she wants!

Donna runs off stage to darkened Stage 3 area, lights down on Stage 2, up on Stage 1

Nancy: It all started so innocently! I was so lonely when I first came here to college. Everyone seemed so, I don’t know, so all-together! Here I was, not one person I knew, and everyone seemed to be having so much fun. I started going to a little church just down the street from where I live. But when I met Spike and her friends, well, they just seemed so “in”! Made me feel as though I was somebody.

The complete script, plus all 2,000 other DramaShare scripts, are available at no charge to DramaShare members, non-members may purchase the individual script.