Cast of Characters
Jester

First group
Divali speaker and candlelighter
Sun God speaker and candlelighter
Saturnalia speaker and candlelighter
Kwanzaa speaker and candlelighter
Genitju speaker and candlelighter
Winter Solstice speaker and candlelighter
Santa Lucia speaker and candlelighter

Second group
Wreath speaker and wreath carrier
Tree speaker and tree carrier
Yule Log speaker and log carrier
Holly and Ivy speaker and carrier
Mistletoe speaker and carrier
Bell speaker and carrier

Third group
Jultomten speaker and candlelighter
Befana speaker and candlelighter
St. Nicholas speaker and candlelighter
KristKind speaker and candlelighter
Father Christmas speaker and candlelighter

Noisemakers
We used about five children behind the scenes with an adult to cue them to shake and rattle their noisemakers

Adult helpers
There was one adult helper for each group of children. The helpers were responsible for costumes and props for each group and came with the group to help with candlelighting and props, then made sure the children went back to sit with their parents after their group was finished.

Parent instructions
Your child has the part of a speaking\non-speaking role. Please check your child's script for lines and costume suggestions. You will be contacted this week to let you know what you need to provide. We will have a rehearsal on December 4 after the church service in the sanctuary and another rehearsal on December 11 during the church school time. The play will be performed as part of the service on December 18 and your child should be there at 9:30 a.m.

Prelude

Greetings and Announcements

Advent Wreath Lighting and Explanation

Children's Choir

Hannukah Candle Lighting and Explanation

Minister speaking interrupted by: (noise from Time Machine, Jester peeks out from machine, cartwheels into sanctuary, bounds up; Jester in hat, turtleneck, tights, clown costume, weird sneakers, very colorful)

Jester: Wait a minute, what's going on here?

Minister: We are having our holiday family service.

Jester: Holidays? I love holidays. What are you celebrating?

Minister: We've been lighting advent candles for the Christian celebration of Christmas and the menorah for the Jewish holiday of Hannukah.

Jester: Is that all? When you have so many festivals to choose from at this time of year?

Minister: Who are you?

Jester: (bows) Why, you can call me jester, or trickster, or the Lord or Lady of Misrule. I have been many names through the centuries. I like to shake things up a bit, make people see the connections they sometimes miss, where their cherished traditions actually came from, and how they span cultures and time. (more noise from time machine, Jester looks that way, crosses arms) Oh, they don't like me to make speeches.

minister: They, who, exactly?

Jester: Why, my friends who carry the traditions. Sit down, I'll call them out using the wonderful time machine that your 5/6 grade class made. Let's see. Who shall go first? I think we will begin as you have with the festivals of light. Many cultures celebrate light as a source of life and hope, usually at the darkest time of the year. I welcome the light-bringers. (extend arm toward machine) (enter the following who line up near the microphone with helpers who light the candles while they are speaking then sit on floor; helpers have on bright yellow tunics and star garland headpieces:)

Divali Speaker: I bring you the Hindu tradition of Divali (Diwali) which came in November this year. We clean and decorate our homes, drawing special good luck designs, and lighting many lamps to welcome Lakshmi who is one form of the Mother Goddess, she who brings with her blessings for the coming year. There are also many fireworks, the giving of sweets and gifts, and dancing around the bonfire. We light a candle for Lakshmi and the blessings she brings. (sari or loose pants and white turtleneck with pink garlands)

Sun God Speaker: I bring you the birth of the Persian god, Mithras, the sun god. The Romans adopted this celebration around the third century. Mithras was worshipped as a force for good and those who joined Mithraism were baptised with water, the consecrated meal was bread and water mixed with wine, and their symbol was a cross of light. The birthday of Jesus was moved around A.D. 350 to try to convert the pagan celebration to a Christian one. Other gods of light worshipped were Horus in Egypt, and Adonis in Greece. We light a candle for the birth of Mithras and the sun gods. (loose tunic with sun medallion)

Saturnalia Speaker: This was also the time of Saturnalia, a celebration of the agriculture god and harvest, filled with gift-giving, food, noise and merrymaking. At Saturnalia, the lowest person in the household became master or mistress and could rule the house for the day. The poor were fed and clothed and given gifts. We light a candle for Saturnalia and giving to those who are in need. (white toga-like costume with colorful sash or headdress)

Kwanzaa Speaker: Kwanzaa, celebrated by some African Americans for the week following Christmas, was established in 1966 by Dr. Maulauna Karenga after the African tradition of celebrating the harvest. The word, Kwanzaa, comes from the Swahili for "first fruits" and there is sharing of food and gifts and family. Candles are lit on a kinara for the principles of unity, selfdetermination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. We light a candle for the festival of Kwanzaa and creating rituals of community. (African print shirt or dress)

Genitju Speaker: I bring you the Japanese new year's tradition of Genitju and the story of Ameraterasu, the Sun Goddess. It is said that she became so angry at her brother that she shut herself into a cave and left the world in darkness. The other gods sang and danced and recited sacred texts until she grew curious enough to peek out. Then they held a mirror in front of her, and she was so delighted by her radiant image that she came out. Then they put a rice-straw rope over the cave entrance to keep the sun from going back in. We light a candle for Ameraterasu and the coming of light. (some kind of kimono)

Winter Solstice Speaker: I bring you the winter solstice tradition where bonfires were lit to tempt the sun to come back to the earth on the longest night of the year. We celebrated with fires and food and chanting. We light a candle for winter solstice and the rebirth of light and hope. (bright gold tunic with sun medallion)

Santa Lucia Speaker: The winter solstice celebrations in Sweden adopted the Christian martyr Saint Lucia for their holiday. Her name means "light" and there is a legend that she brought food to starving Swedish people during a famine, and then disappeared. Each year, the eldest daughter of the household rises early on December 13th, and wearing a costume such as this one, sings while bringing coffee and sweet buns to the adults in bed. We light a candle for Saint Lucia's Day and sweet foods at this time of year. (white dress, red sash, headdress with greens and candles)

Jester: There was also a Hopi ceremony for welcoming Old Man Winter where rattles were shaken at the sun. And Bodhi Day, the Buddhist celebration of the enlightenment of Buddha. And Las Posados, the Mexican tradition of telling the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem with a candle-lit procession, singing, special foods, and the breaking of a pinata. Phew, lots of festivals and celebrations at this time of the year. (NOISE from Time Machine, Jester looks at machine) Okay, okay. (to audience) Did you ever wonder where all of the traditional Christmas decorations came from? Our next set of visitors can tell you.

(next set of characters come in with helpers holding samples of decorations, including small xmas tree, wreath, mistletoe, holly and ivy, log, and bells. Helpers hold up sample during speech, then place at foot of table. Costumes are regular dress with a green tunic, black sash, and green star garland headpieces)

Wreath Speaker: The wreath is an ancient symbol of immortality. In different cultures it has represented the womb of the Great Mother, the wheel of the year, the path of the sun, and a crown of achievement. Evergreens became popular as a symbol of life amidst the apparent death of the other trees during the winter. The earliest gifts were simply green branches called strenae, from Strenia, the Roman Goddess of Health. Later, these were made into wreaths and garlands. We bring the wreath to this celebration to remember the circle of the year and of life.

Tree Speaker: The tree was also a symbol of life in the wintertime. The Druids often brought boughs of trees inside to provide shelter for wood sprites believed to dwell in trees. Your modern day Christmas tree derives part of its meaning from the Paradise tree, a fir tree hung with apples used in an 11th century play about the creation of human beings and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden. By the 15th century, people began putting up Paradise trees to honor Adam and Eve on their feastday, December 24. Others see the Christmas tree as a variation of the ninebranched menorah of the Jewish tradition. Still others credit Martin Luther for adding candles to the tree and bringing lights to the tree. But it was the Unitarian minister Charles Follen who brought the tradition to America in 1832. We bring the fir tree to symbolize life.

Yule Log Speaker: The yule log in Eastern Europe symbolized the burning of the old year and was brought in to burn brightly for 6 to 12 days through the holiday season. Some saved a piece of it for good luck and used it to light the new log each year. Since most homes were heated by fireplaces, the Christmas season was said to last for as long as the yule log burned. We bring a log for the warmth of the season.

Holly and Ivy Speaker: Holly was said to be a "holy" tree and a symbol of protection. Any wayfarer could find sanctuary under a holly bush. Ivy was a decoration for Saturnalia said to have protected Bacchus or Dionysius from Jupiter. We bring holly and ivy to your celebration for protection.

Mistletoe Speaker: Mistletoe was sacred to the Druids of England for its healing powers. They also chose the largest oak tree with mistletoe growing on it to hold their decision-making meetings. It became a symbol of contracts, and a kiss or embrace under the mistletoe sealed the peace. It became the tradition that a kiss under the mistletoe branch was good luck. We bring the mistletoe to your celebration for good luck.

Bell Speaker: Bells have always been symbols of the purest of all sounds that welcomed goodness and drove away all evil. Bells were wrung before sacred ceremonies and to celebrate births in many cultures, and to warn of danger. We bring these bells for goodness.

Jester: Singing was also a part of the festivals in all cultures at this time of the year. Chanting and making music at the winter solstice, singing and dancing at Saturnalia, and the singing of Christian "Carols" as early as A.D. 129. The first Christian music was very solemn and in Latin. In the 12th and 13th centuries, people wanted songs in their own language. Carols blossomed in England through the 16th century until the Puritans prohibited it, feeling that the joyousness and feasting at Christmas were too closely related to pagan festivals. Thank goodness that the people persisted in them. And I see a group here that would like to sing for us. Please join in with the song printed on the insert in your order of service. (choir procession and singing.)

Jester: Now, you all know about Santa Claus. But did you know that our traditional Santa was drawn for Harper's Magazine in the 1860's by Unitarian Thomas Nast? And that a lot of Santa Claus's traits came from the Germanic god, Thor, god of the common people? He was said to be jovial and elderly, with a long white beard. His element was fire, his color red, fireplaces were sacred to him, and he drove a chariot pulled by reindeer. (NOISE from machine, Jester sweeps hand toward machine) And here come some of the other gift-bringers from different times and cultures. (gift-givers enter with helpers who light candles, helpers wear red tunics, sashes, red star garland headpieces)

Jultomten Speaker: In Sweden and Denmark, it is Jultomten or Jule-Nissen who brings gifts to children at Christmastime. He is gnome, wears a red suit and cap, and loads his sleigh with toys. But the sleigh is drawn by Julbocker, the goat of the Thunder God, Thor. We light a candle for Jultomten. (red shirt or dress and Santa cap)

Befana Speaker: There are also women gift-givers. In Russia, she is Baboushka, who, according to her legend, misdirected the Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem. In Italy, she is Befana, but she was too busy cleaning to go with the Wise Men. However, her story predates that of the Christ Child in ancient Rome. But both figures wander from house to house, bringing gifts to children. We light a candle for Baboushka and Befana. (plain dress or long skirt and blouse, apron, kerchief)

Jester: Oh, I can see that the minister is eager to interrupt our play. But it is time for your own offering to the church, a way for you to be part of the gift-giving of this community.

(Minister takes offering, Choir sings for offeratory)

Jester: Now we will finish with the legends of gift-giving.

St. Nicholas Speaker: St. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra in the 4th century. He as a very kind man and often did good deeds secretly so that he would not be known. It is said that he would disguise himself by wearing a red robe and white whiskers. He died on December 6, in the year 342. As this was so near the time of the Winter Solstice, he became the patron saint of the season, with careless pronunciation making him "Santa Nicklas", "Klas," and finally, "Claus". We light another candle for St. Nicholas. (Bishop's rounded tunic with cross sewn on, over pants, miter hat)

Kristkind Speaker: In Germany, Martin Luther declared that St. Nicholas was robbing Christmas of its true Christian meaning. So the Christ Child or KristKind became the gift-giving figure in Germany and Switzerland. We light a candle for the KristKind. (white dress with star halo)

Father Christmas Speaker: Then there is Father Christmas, the English cousin to Santa Claus. He drives a sleigh with reindeer. To children in the African Republic of Ghana, he lives in the jungle. In Australia, he appears riding on water skis and wearing red swimming trunks. In some countries, there is a Father and Mother Christmas. We light a candle for Father and Mother Christmas. (brown tunic, red sash, beard)

Jester: Then there is Svalty Mikulas in Czechoslovakia, Pere Noel in France, Kris Kringle in Norway, Grandfather Frost in Russia, and the Dutch gift-giver Sinterclaus, who left presents in the children's shoes. And of course, the Three Kings or Magi who brought gifts to the baby, Jesus, at the stable. (Jester asks all children from play to rise) We hope you have enjoyed our attempt to bring a fuller scope of holidays to you in all of their differences and similarities. No matter where you have come from, or what traditions your family has adopted or created, this time of year is filled with singing, rich foods, family, gifts, and helping others in need. It is a time to open our hearts and to share our peace and hope and magic. (Jester bows. All other participants bow.) Please join us now in our final song, printed in your order of service.