No Room in the Inn

This is a play that depicts the arrival of Mary and Joseph at a busy inn to stay the night, only to find out it's too crowded. The children can act out Mary and Joseph taking refuge in the manger along with the farm animals, which can be played by other children. The baby Jesus is then born and the Wise Men show up to look upon the child and give their gifts. This can be done by the book or made to be slightly funny with doubts of the grandness of the gifts for the child. End the play with the understanding that it's not the gifts that define Christmas, but being together to celebrate and love.

The Christmas Party

The kids can act out a play about a family putting together a Christmas party. As the guests arrive, the audience finds that they are not all Christians, but people of other faiths that give the Christian party throwers gifts that represent the winter holidays of their faiths. The party goers can then be told about Christmas and how it is not a day of separation and differences but a day of togetherness and celebration of Christ's birth.

The Animals' Witness

Have the kids act out the birth of Jesus and the arrival of the wise men. Have the children dressed as farm animals act out their excitement and thoughts of the new child. The animal actors can give gifts and offerings to Jesus that fit within their animal personas. So, the sheep can give wool to keep the child warm, cows can give milk to feed and so on. End with the farm animals explaining the importance of Christmas and peace.

Gift of the Magi

Have the kids act out the old story, "Gift of the Magi," modified to the world we know today. Rewrite it to tell the story of two kids who want to buy gifts for each other. They work hard and sell away a prized object only to find out the other did the same and the gifts they exchanged were for intended to complement the objects. This old telling is the core of Christian values of love and selflessness.